A Rose By Any Other Name
by midnightskull
Summary: After her father's death and the end of the yellow-eyed demon, Marian Rose Winchester was done with hunting - or so she thought. When her protective brothers get wind of a big bad out for her blood, she's pulled back into the game, and the universe seems to be making up for her six years of safety. Rose is in deeper than ever before. Will she be able to get out again?
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

**In which the Winchesters get a few surprises**

(Written to: Tracking Elise by James Newton Howard from The Tourist)

/watch/?v=EqELTtYYMo8#Tracking_Elise_(_01_)_-_James_Newton_%7C%7C_The_Tourist_Soundtrack

* * *

Marian Rose Winchester heaved her duffel bag into the back of the car Bobby and Dean had fixed up for her, then loaded her one box of possessions. Slamming the trunk closed, she turned to face her family.

"I'm gonna miss you, Rosie." Sam's face was contorted with sadness.

"I'm gonna miss you too, baby bro." She gave a small smile and quickly pulled the mammoth of a boy into a crushing hug.

"We're the same age," Sam retorted quietly into his sister's light brunette hair.

"I'm still older."

"By thirty-four seconds."

"Still older."

"Rulers away now, kids." Their older brother smiled, but anyone could see the sadness in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Dean." Rose exchanged her death grip on Sam for one on Dean.

"Don't be. Just be happy. And safe." He spoke quietly.

"I will." She pulled away with a sniff and turned to Bobby Singer.

"Bobby-"

"Just shut up and come 'ere." He spoke gruffly, and pulled the girl he considered a daughter into a great bear hug. "You take care of yourself, got it? And you better come visit every now and then."

"I will. Don't let those idiots get into too much trouble, okay?" Rose gave a smile from the depths of Bobby's embrace.

"You know I won't." They laughed for a brief moment, then she pulled away.

"Be safe, you idiots." She spoke to all three now, blissfully unaware of how Sam really recovered. They all nodded in response, laughing under their breath. They had each promised that they wouldn't tell the girl about her older brother's deal. If she wanted out, they were going to keep her out for as long as they could.

"You sure gotta go?" Sam asked.

She nodded. "I can't do this anymore. You know that. I'll be safe; you guys taught me pretty well."

"Damn straight we did." Dean retorted. His sister couldn't help but laugh.

"Where are you gonna go?" Sam asked.

"Not sure. I'll probably get an apartment in a city somewhere. As soon as I find something, I'll call." With one last smile and a nod, Rose headed for the car. She drove away, waving out the window at the boys watching her go. It wasn't until she was well on the road that she let a few tears leak out.

* * *

Rose had found a nice place in Chicago and had been living there for almost six years. Her brothers, Bobby, and their angel buddy Castiel visited her often enough between hunts, but they never told her about all the drama and deaths they experienced almost every year. Every now and then, she had a pang of guilt for leaving them to hunt without her, and sometimes she even missed it, but she was happy with her city apartment and her waitressing job. She enjoyed Chicago, and somehow managed to remain completely out of the loop about all the disaster the world had seen over the last few years.

But today, Rose had the day off. She got to sleep in and was now walking around in her underwear and a shirt three sizes too big so that it was practically a dress on her. Rose hummed as she made her way to the kitchen to set the coffee pot. It was a calm and happy morning for her, and she was looking forward a lazy day after a long week at work.

But as she hit the button and turned to head back to bed, the front door was kicked in. Without a second of hesitation, Rose threw open a drawer below the kitchen counter, pulled out her silenced gun, and aimed over the counter towards the intruders at the door.

There stood Sam and Dean at the other end of the barrel. It took them a moment to notice that Rose was practically right by the door holding a gun at them.

"The hell are you idiots doing?!" She scolded as loudly as she could without yelling. Rose threw her gun back into the drawer and slammed it shut. "If you wanted to visit, you coulda just called! You didn't have to kick my door in! Which you'll be fixing, by the way!"

"Sorry 'bout that…" Sam lowered his gun.

"You okay?" Dean asked, not lowering his weapon just yet.

"I'm perfectly fine! What the hell is wrong with you two?" She rounded the edge of the kitchen and now stood with no barriers between her and her idiotic brothers.

"We need to get you out of here. You're not safe." Sam explained, taking a few steps into the apartment.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm completely safe here." Rose huffed, crossing her arms. Her nostrils flared and her weight favored her left leg over the right. She stared them down until Dean lowered his gun.

"Where the hell is your devil's trap?" Dean asked, noticing the lack of a doormat.

"I don't need it." Rose quickly explained.

"Like hell you don't. Come on, you're coming with us. Get a bag and let's go." Dean let his arms fall to his side, waving a hand at his sister to send her off to pack.

"I'm not going anywhere, Dean. I am perfectly safe and capable of taking care of myself."

"Rose, don't fight me on this. Come on." Dean's voice threatened to get louder, and it lowered half an octave.

"Rosie, is everything alright?" The sultry, British voice at long last entered the main room. He was in the process of buttoning his shirt when he froze and his tone changed dramatically. "What are you two imbeciles doing here?"

"Crowley?!" The boys didn't care about their volume now. They immediately raised their guns again. Rose rolled her eyes, her head following suit. She stepped between her brothers and the King of Hell.

"Guns down and lower your voices. We're in an apartment, in case you forgot." She ordered, her voice lowering an octave. Her nostrils continued to flare.

Dean was the first to speak. He noticed the state of Crowley's clothes long before Sam did. "Tell me you didn't….you aren't….oh my god…"

As the eldest Winchester gave an exasperated and horrified sigh, his gun fell to his side once again. Sam looked from Crowley to his brother to his sister, the pieces falling into place in his head. "You're screwing Crowley?!"

"It's none of your business who I screw!" Rose retorted, her posture straightening in a sad attempt to look taller and more assertive.

"Actually-"

"Why the Hell are you here? I want an explanation!" Rose cut off her older brother, hoping to avoid the lecture she knew was itching to explode from him. The boys exchanged glances. When they lowered their arms, Rose moved to the side again only to find Crowley right behind her, a hand resting on her lower back. The couple waited with raised eyebrows as the Winchester boys found their words again.

"Abaddon's after you." Sam found his voice first.

"Abaddon?!" Rose raised her voice. She looked between her brothers and gave Crowley a glance too.

"She's-"

"I know who she is, Sam!" Cutting off her baby brother, she stepped away from Crowley's gentle hand and spun to face him. "A Knight of Hell is after me and you didn't bother to tell me?!"

"You know you're safe here, love."

"That's not the point! You should have told me! And I know I've been out of the game for a few years, but I can still protect myself! Contrary to everyone's belief, I'm not a weak little child anymore!" Rose was livid.

"I never-"

"It doesn't matter anymore!" She huffed, shooting the demon a look that could have smote him right then and there if she had the power. She positioned herself so that she could easily look between her brothers and Crowley. She shook her head, silently daring anyone to challenge her right now. She was likely to castrate the next person to even vaguely imply that she couldn't take care of herself.

"So that's what's been going on. When you said that there was a problem with management, you really meant you and Abaddon were having a pissing contest over who gets to rule Hell." Crowley offered no answer to Rose's accusation except to avert his gaze from the daggers she was glaring at him.

"And let me guess, those two idiots are the ones that had you so busy for those few months?" She was right again.

"Wait a minute, was Rose your phone call?" Dean clicked a few pieces of the puzzle together as well. There was no need for Crowley to reply, because everyone already knew Dean was right.

"What do you care? And how do you even know Rose? Old hunter buddies?" Crowley asked, desperate to get the accusations off of him.

"She's our sister, you dick." Dean scoffed back.

"You're-you're a Winchester?" Crowley turned to Rose.

Rose's glare softened, her eyes flitting. Finally turning her gaze from the demon, she replied: "You never asked."

"Are you all done now?" Sam asked, eager to get his sister to safety. No one replied, but no one made eye contact with anyone either. "Rose, go pack a bag, you're coming to the Bunker with us. Dean, you can smack Crowley around later; right now we need to get Rose out of here. Crowley, so help me, if you have ever hurt Rose in any way-"

"Now, Moose. Do you really think I would hurt her?" Crowley gave a mock pout to the taller Winchester. Rose rolled her eyes.

Before Sam or Dean could retort, Rose said: "Honestly, Sam. Do you think I would keep him around if he ever hurt me? He'd be dead if he did. That's how you know he hasn't."

Dean opened his mouth to sass back, but Rose threw him a glare that shut him up instantly. "You all seem to forget that I'm a badass. I'll pack a bag, but he's-" Rose nodded her head at Crowley "- coming with me. I don't trust you three in a room without me."

With that, she took the demon's hand and huffed all the way to her room, not forgetting to slam the door behind them.


	2. Chapter 2

_"Rose, go pack a bag, you're coming to the Bunker with us. Dean, you can smack Crowley around later; right now we need to get Rose out of here. Crowley, so help me, if you have ever hurt Rose in any way-"_

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO**

**In which (almost) everything is explained**

(Written to: Going Hozen by Russell Brower from World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria)

/watch/?v=9ewvJwkSOzo#%5BWorld_of_Warcraft%5D_Mists_of_Pandaria_Soundtrack_12_-_Going_Hozen

* * *

"So the King of Hell is screwing my baby sister?"

"Dean, lay off."

"Do I even wanna know how long..._this_ has been going on?"

"It's none of your business."

"None of my business my ass. How long, Rose?"

"Four years." Rose mumbled, leaning back into her seat in the car. She was crammed in the back with Crowley, who was only there because Rose had slapped a pair of demon cuffs on him before he could zap away. She wasn't going to get chewed out and let him walk away unscathed.

"How many?" Dean was shouting at this point.

"Four." Rose muttered again.

"Oh my god." Sam ran a hand over his face.

Before anyone could start yelling again, Rose took her chance. "Is anyone going to explain exactly why Abaddon wants to kill me?"

"Why don't you ask your little boy toy?" Dean was gripping the steering wheel of the Impala so tightly that his knuckles began to turn white.

Rose turned to Crowley, impatiently waiting for an answer.

"Yes, well, I'm afraid that _is_ my fault."

"What the hell happened?" Rose was doing her best to keep from shouting.

Crowley sighed. "I'm sure you remember my little...problem."

"You mean your addiction? Yeah, I remember it. Unfortunately…"

"A particular demon who I thought I could trust-"

"Sold you out to Abaddon."

"Exactly."

"What were you doing spilling that stuff to demons? I had you covered! We talked about this! You weren't supposed to tell _anyone_!" Rose punched his arm as best she could while crammed in the back of the Impala.

"Well I didn't exactly want to bleed you dry!"

"Whoa wait, this demon was getting blood for you?"

"Can we save this lover's quarrel for later?" Dean groaned from the driver's seat.

"Fine. But don't think he saved you." Rose glared at the demon beside her.

"Wouldn't dream of it, love." He mocked.

"So how exactly does Abaddon know about me?"

"Well, frankly it didn't make sense until now. We know she wants us out of the picture, so we knew we had to come get you. She doesn't care if you haven't been involved. But apparently you're way more involved than we thought." Sam explained, practically choking through the last sentence.

"Okay, so she's after me because of you two numbskulls. What the hell did you do to piss her off? And what does Crowley's addiction have to do with any of this?"

"We're gonna kill her, that's what." Dean grumbled.

Before Rose could shoot back another flurry of impatient questions, Sam began explaining again. "A few weeks back, Crowley called to tell us that he might have let slip when he was high that we were after...a weapon that can kill Abaddon, and that the information probably got to her."

"Idiots…" Rose groaned.

"I believe I also let slip that there was a certain lady I fancied, although I don't really remember." Crowley was quieter now, but was still working on keeping his tough guy facade.

Rose threw her head back, resting it on the top of the seat, and let out a rather loud grunt. "I told you not to leave my apartment until you were clean. I can handle a little blood loss, you nincompoop. But no, you had to go and rely on another _demon_ to get blood for you. Did you two get high together? Share your secrets? Have a little pillow talk?"

No one spoke for another five minutes. The silence was so tense, it could have been sliced straight through with a needle. Rose's mind was racing. A Knight of Hell was after her for leverage over her brothers and the King of Hell. She was beyond screwed. The best part was that both her brothers and Crowley figured Abaddon was after her, but neither of them had shared that information with the other. Crowley didn't trust the Winchester boys to take care of his lover, and Sam and Dean never let slip to anyone that they had a sister.

Rose sat up straight again. That thought surprised her. No one knew that Sam and Dean had a sister - outside of Bobby and Castiel of course.

"How did Abaddon find out about me?" Rose asked, softer than before.

"Just before we picked you up, Cas called. Told us that he had a lead on...a case, and that he heard through the angel grapevine that people had been doing their research on the Winchester family." Dean explained, clearly calming down. His grip on the steering wheel had let up some, and he wasn't speaking through gritted teeth anymore.

"A….case? Since when does Cas help you with cases?" Rose had a brow raised.

"Since we asked."

"Is that what you were doing in Chicago? If Cas called you right before you got me, then you must have been close."

"Yeah. If Cas hadn't called to warn us, we still would have taken you with us. I mean, Chicago's a dangerous city, but there's an entire underground circle of monsters running the place." Sam spoke up.

"I know." Rose shrugged it off.

"You know?" Sam raised his eyebrows in confusion.

"Yeah. I'm retired, not dead." She scoffed. "Contrary to your stupid beliefs, I'm actually smart."

"That's not what I-oh nevermind." Sam shook his head. "So you knew and didn't do anything about them? Didn't call us?"

"Actually, we were in cahoots." Rose smirked when Dean nearly swerved off the road.

"Excuse me?" Dean barked.

"Relax, I'm joking." She chuckled. "No, really, we got along. I kept out of their way if they kept out of mine. We were actually all good buddies."

Sam groaned and shifted around his seat. Rose only laughed.

Her smile faded when another question occurred to her. "Explain one more thing. Why exactly do you wanna kill Abaddon?"

In the front, the boys exchanged glances.

"You mean other than her coming after our sister?" Dean was the first to speak.

"The bitch coming after me is a _result_ of you wanting to kill her. So what's the real reason?" Rose crossed her arms, doing her best to stare them down.

"It's a long story." Sam said.

"We've got time." Rose sassed back.

Dean huffed. "The less you know, the better."

"Not knowing anything isn't going to stop Abaddon from killing me. So you may as well tell me."

"You wanna go back to your life after the bitch is dead, don't you?"

"That's the plan."

"Then the less you know, the better."

Rose sighed, but didn't push it any further. If they weren't going to tell her anything, she would find another way. There was more at play than they were letting on.


	3. Chapter 3

_"You wanna go back to your life after the bitch is dead, don't you?"_

_"That's the plan."_

_"Then the less you know, the better."_

_Rose sighed, but didn't push it any further. If they weren't going to tell her anything, she would find another way. There was more at play than they were letting on._

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE**

**In which everyone does a whole lot of thinking**

* * *

Rose lay wide awake on her memory foam mattress. She hadn't slept one wink on the car ride down to Lebanon, Kansas, and was finding it even harder to sleep at the moment. By the time they had arrived at the Bunker, it was well past dusk and she was desperate for a moment to herself - for a moment to think.

On the long car ride, Rose had figured out that Abaddon had been searching for weaknesses for both the Winchester brothers and Crowley. She had done her research and heard the gossip in the demon grapevine. Rose figured the Knight put two and two together much faster than her brothers or Crowley.

The whole situation with Abaddon was still confusing her - she was missing too many pieces. Crowley she understood, but her brothers….they still refused to tell her anything. Just how did they get involved in all of this? How did they even know Crowley? They hadn't mentioned anything about him in the past six years. If they were just keeping up the family business, how the hell did they get themselves buddied up with the King of Hell? Or an angel of God for that matter!

Rose flipped over to lay on her stomach, hoping that perhaps the new position would eventually lull her to sleep. Her mind, however, had other plans.

Despite the many missing pieces to the puzzle, Rose was still searching for explanations and connections. Clearly all of this was somehow tangled together in one giant knot. Now it was just a matter of tracing each piece of string through the knot and to its source - a task easier said than done.

Rose knew she would have to sneak around and snoop if she was going to get answers. But for now, she finally felt herself falling into the depths of sleep.

Across the Bunker, sitting at the tables in the library, the Winchester boys and the King of Hell were discussing the same things Rose was wondering.

"Rose can't know anything that's happened. We only tell her what she absolutely needs to know, got it?" Dean all but growled. His posture was tense and intimidating as he sat, glaring at Crowley.

"You won't have any problems with me concerning that. But she will pry, you know."

"You think we don't know our sister?" Sam sounded halfway offended.

"Considering just how little time you've spent with her over the past few years, I think it's safe to say that I know her a bit better than you oafs." Crowley spat back. "Rather intimately, I might add."

"Just because you screw doesn't mean that you know her like we do." Dean shot right back, disgusted with the thought of his baby sister doing such….vile things with a demon like Crowley.

"He does have a point though. She's gonna snoop. She won't stop until she gets answers. She already knows that we're hiding things from her." Sam, the ever logical Winchester, turned to his brother.

"She can't know a damn thing. She wanted out, remember? So it's gonna stay that way. Rose is here for her safety, nothing else."

"I can't believe I'm saying the words, but I agree with Squirrel. She stays here until Abaddon is dead, then she goes home where she'll be plenty safe and away from you death-traps."

Sam sighed. "That won't stop her. She's too curious for her own good. She's bound to find out something one way or another."

"Then we'll just have to lock her in her room for a while." Dean ground his jaw. "She has a life now. I sure as hell ain't gonna take that away from her by letting her in on our crap."

"She has a right to know."

"Like hell she does. She left, Sammy! This is what she wanted! She doesn't get to know. And frankly it's safer that way."

"Dean, it's been six years! You need to get over it! She didn't leave to hurt us - she left because she didn't want to lose anyone else!"

"You don't just walk out on family! And just because she doesn't know how many people she's lost doesn't change the number." Dean gritted his teeth to keep from shouting. The last thing he wanted to do right now was to wake Rose and send her running to the library.

"Perhaps I should leave you two to discuss your problems?" Crowley stood from his seat.

"And where exactly do you think you're going?" Dean snapped at the demon.

"Where do you think?"

"No, you're staying here. You're not going anywhere near my sister." Dean rose to match Crowley.

"You heard the woman, Squirrel. You so much as stop me from going where I please, you two get neutered." He smirked, then headed to Rose's room.

"Dean…" Sam started once Crowley was well out of earshot. "I really don't think he's gonna hurt her. Especially not with all that...human crap he's dealing with."

Dean huffed and fell back into his seat, running a calloused hand over his tired face. "I still don't like it. She's still my baby sister."

"And she can handle herself. You don't have to be so...protective all the time."

"It's my job to take care of you two. I've already failed her once. I ain't gonna do it again."

"Look, I don't like it just as much as you do. But if Rose really has been…..seeing him for four years, then clearly she knows how to handle him. She's a big girl, Dean."

Dean sighed. He rested his elbows on the table in front of him and buried his face in his hands. He felt incredibly conflicted. Rose had walked out on them - on her family. She didn't even so much as look back. She only drove down to Bobby's maybe once a year - twice if they were lucky. More often than not, if they wanted to see her, they had to go to her place. Dean felt abandoned. Sure, they had opted to keep her in the dark about his deal to save Sam, but he still felt betrayed. He had to spend what he thought was his last year on Earth without his sister.

But she had a good life and she was happy away from hunting. Who was he to complain about her happiness? He wanted her to be safe, but at the same time he wanted her back. He wanted her to hunt with her brothers and save the world one ass-kicking at a time.

However, he was going to honor her requests. If she wanted out and a simple, apple pie life, then Dean wasn't going to stop her. So they couldn't let her know anything.

"We don't tell her anything - not even about the First Blade. She stays here where she's safe. No one but us and Crowley and maybe Cas get to speak to her. Then she goes back to Chicago."

Sam nodded solemnly. He felt guilty lying to his sister - keeping her in the dark about everything. She was still family. She deserved to know. Dean only thought he was doing what was best. Perhaps in the long run, it was best.

"Come on, we gotta get going. Can't keep Cas waiting much longer."

* * *

**I know it's been a little slow so far, but I promise things will start picking up next chapter! Unfortunately, I have to set things up before jumping into the good stuff - but it's coming, don't worry!**


	4. Chapter 4

_"We don't tell her anything - not even about the First Blade. She stays here where she's safe. No one but us and Crowley and maybe Cas get to speak to her. Then she goes back to Chicago."_

_Sam nodded solemnly. He felt guilty lying to his sister - keeping her in the dark about everything. She was still family. She deserved to know. Dean only thought he was doing what was best. Perhaps in the long run, it was best._

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**In which Rose has a problem**

(Written to: Puzzles (Variation) by Tomohito Nishiura from Professor Layton and the Last Time Travel)

/watch/?v=jN9bHYNtPMg#Professor_Layton_and_the_Last_Time_Travel_OST_18_-_Puzzles_(Variation)

* * *

When Rose at last woke up from her short night of sleep, she found Crowley's warm arms around her. With a smile, Rose placed a small peck of a kiss on his cheek.

"Don't you ever get bored watching me sleep?" Her voice was groggy and drunk with sleep.

"Not in the least, Flower. You're very entertaining when you sleep." Crowley smirked. Rose was certain that one day his face would be stuck like that.

She rolled her eyes and clambered out of bed in the least graceful manner possible. It took a strong, supportive arm from Crowley for her to regain her balance and not faceplant on the hard floor.

"What time is it?" Rose muttered, already digging through her duffel bag for a change of clothes.

Crowley stretched across the bed for Rose's phone. "10:23."

When he rolled back over to watch the half-dressed girl fumble with her clothing, he continued speaking slowly, distracted by the view. "The boys have gone to check in with their dear Castiel, and I have a meeting later today. You'll be a good girl while I'm gone won't you, Flower?"

Rose cocked her head and rolled her eyes. "You're almost as bad as them. You of all people know that I can take care of myself. I've kicked your ass more than once."

With a huff, Crowley sat up. "Because I let you." Before Rose could retort, he continued. "She's not a run-of-the-mill demon. I would get you a babysitter if I trusted one, but I can't. So you're under house arrest. Well...bunker arrest."

"I'm a big girl. I've got my big girl panties on and everything." Rose added a shake of her ass for emphasis, then pulled her jeans on. "I'll be just fine."

"Rose." Crowley used a tone that Rose knew meant he was deadly serious. It was a tone she rarely heard from him. The last four years pretty much only consisted of the two of them fooling around, cracking jokes, and, well, having sex. There weren't a whole lot of opportunities for him to be so serious with her. Rose only ever heard that tone when he was on the phone with an idiotic demon that had screwed up one time too many, and he had only used it with her once - and that was a particular memory neither of them liked to remember.

"Crowley…" She sighed. "I'll be fine. You know I will."

Crowley's lips were pressed together so tightly, Rose thought for a moment that they might never open again.

"When's your meeting? Anything interesting?" Rose didn't want to discuss her safety anymore. She was desperate to think of anything else - and she wanted to know when she could start digging around for information on her brothers' secrets.

"In an hour and a half. Roughly." The intense expression on his face melted and was exchanged for a playful smirk.

Rose laughed. "Why did I even bother trying to get dressed?" She mused to herself.

* * *

The hour and a half went by….well, let's just say there wasn't a moment wasted. After Rose had gotten dressed all over again and Crowley was gone for his meeting (which he never did tell her what it was for), she had gotten some food and set to work snooping.

Rose started with Dean's room, then Sam's. She found absolutely nothing of significance. So she moved on to the library, hoping they left something helpful. Much to her surprise and delight, there was a sizeable stack of books still sitting out.

Rose had wasted no time in beginning her reading. She analyzed damn near every single page, desperate for answers. They were just old lore books, probably left out after a recent case, but maybe - just maybe - if she was lucky, there would be something about the secrets they had been keeping from her. If there was clue to be found, her only hope was with the old books about biblical stories as old as time itself that sat on the library table.

As focused as she was on the content of the pages before her, her mind couldn't help but wander. It wasn't like her brothers to lie to her. They told her about every case they took, every monster they ganked. They didn't hide things from her. Every trip they took to visit her, every time they dropped in, they always caught her up on their recent cases. They never spared a detail. So what was so special about their mess with Abaddon that they couldn't tell her?

A wave of pain shook her from her thoughts. It was like something had its hands around her insides and her internal organs were being wrung like a dishcloth.

"Damn.." Rose mumbled and squeezed her eyes shut, willing the pain to go away. Rubbing a hand across her lower abdomen, she lowered the book and curled herself up in the chair.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me. Not now…" She groaned. "I better have remembered to pack pads. Maybe a tampon."

After ten minutes of groans and clutching her abdomen, the cramps eased up enough that Rose could stand and rush to her room. She flew to her duffel, throwing its contents about.

"Shit….just my luck…." She had completely forgotten that she was due for her period.

* * *

Sam and Dean had never seen anything like the building they were walking through. It was full of desks and computers. Phones were ringing in the background. It was surprisingly neat and tidy, and several computers were constantly running searches for anyone matching the description of Metatron's vessel. There were dozens of vesseled-up angels that they could see just in the small section they went through to get to their 'Commander', who, as it turned out, ended up being their good buddy Castiel.

"So. Commander?" Dean asked.

"Not my idea. They had no leader and they insisted on following me." Castiel explained, a hint of regret in his voice.

"Yeah, no, we get it - you're a rockstar." Dean retorted.

"Bartholomew is dead. Malachi was murder by Gadreel, and with Metatron as powerful as he is now, I needed to do something." While Cas spoke, Sam not-so-subtly peeked through the blinds hanging against the windows of the Commander's office.

"So this war between angels is really gonna happen, huh?" The younger Winchester brother asked.

"Not if I can find a diplomatic option for getting rid of Metatron." Castiel was adamant about this. He didn't want more violence than was necessary.

"Good luck with that." Dean sassed.

"Dean, this angel-on-angel violence has to end. Someone has to say 'enough.'"

"And that someone is you?" Sam returned to looking at the angel and his spot next to his older brother.

"That brings me to why you're here. We have a prisoner; an angel from Metatron's inner circle. I need to know what they're planning. So far he's revealed nothing."

"So you're done with the rough stuff and you want us to be your goons?" Dean crossed his arms, watching Castiel with raised brows.

"Well, you've had success with these situations before." Cas spoke simply, but was reluctantly so say the words. He backpedaled after a moment of silence. "If you don't want to do it, I understand."

Dean shifted his weight. "Who says I don't wanna do it?"

Sam watched his brother carefully. Was he ready for something like this? Was it safe for him to do that with the Mark still affecting him? He was worried to say the least, but there wasn't much he could do to stop him.

But before the brothers could leave the office, Cas asked: "How's Rose?"

Dean's demeanor switched almost on the spot, and Cas noticed the anger in his eyes instantly.

"She's alright, isn't she?" There was a flicker of worry in his voice. He enjoyed the girl's company. In fact, he had come to consider her a close friend. She was much more compassionate and considerate about his ignorances than her brothers were.

"She's fine." Sam answered quickly. "She's just, uh-"

"She's been screwing Crowley." Dean spat out.

Castiel blinked a few times and tilted his head, not fully grasping what Dean meant. He had learned a few things while he was human, but he wasn't entirely sure what he was saying. Perhaps he understood the words, but didn't want to understand the meaning.

"They're, uh…._together_." Sam explained quietly, glancing at his brother.

"Oh." The angel's eyes widened. "Well that is…..unexpected."

After a tense few seconds of silence that felt more like hours, he asked: "Where is she?"

"At the Bunker with Crowley. We don't exactly like it, but she seems to trust him and, well, she can be persuasive when she wants to be." Sam answered before Dean could spit out a series of curses.

"So let's just get this over with so we can get back and chaperone." Dean retorted, then headed off to interrogate Metatron's angel minion.

* * *

It hadn't taken Rose long to find the keys to one of the cars the Men of Letters so kindly left behind for her to use. The nearest gas station was roughly fifteen minutes away - ten if she drove fast. So she figured it would be twenty minutes of driving and maybe five to grab what she needed. What could go wrong in half an hour?

Despite the bounty on her head, she felt safe enough to get the necessities then hurry back. She wasn't stupid; she wasn't going to waste more time outside of the safety of the Bunker than was necessary. But she sure as hell wasn't going to bleed her panties a whole new shade of red or stuff a roll of toilet paper down her pants.

Part of her sense of security was actually thanks to Crowley. He had taken it upon himself to teach the girl almost everything he knew about witchcraft. Rose had used every protection and shielding spell she knew on herself before leaving. She had a hex bag in her back pocket, a gun in her waistband, and an angel blade in her jacket. There was no way any demon was going to grab her without a serious fight - if they could find her in the first place.

It was just a quick run into the gas station. In and out just to grab a little pack of pads. She didn't need a whole bunch and there were already painkillers back at the Bunker.

Rose was in such a rush, however, that she failed to notice the strange look the cashier gave her the moment she walked in. She didn't pay much mind to her surroundings. She was spelled up and armed. And besides, it was just a little gas station off the beaten path. There weren't exactly many people around - let alone anyone suspicious.

But Rose would have thought otherwise if she had seen the cashier furiously texting away on his cellphone, all the while casting little wary glances up at the brunette. Instead, she was scouring the aisles looking for what she needed.

When she settled on a pack of ten decently-sized pads with wings and bellied up to the bar to pay, she failed to look at the cashier before she reached into her pocket for her wallet. She failed to notice how quickly he stashed his phone and the little smirk on his face.

However, she did notice that he took his sweet time scanning the little package. He spent a good minute or two just trying to get the scanner to work, giving some excuse about it acting up lately. He spent another minute squinting at the barcode for the little numbers to punch in. He took his time with his words, asking if she needed a bag for her purchase.

By that point, Rose was suspicious on top of frustrated. She just wanted her damn pads so she wouldn't bleed through her pants.

She had grabbed the package rather unceremoniously and all but bolted for the door. The puzzle only fit together when she found the doors locked and not a single soul in sight, save for her and the odd cashier.

But when she spun around to ask why the doors were locked, she wasn't in the gas station anymore. No, she was in a rather fancy looking hotel room.

There was a large table with at least a dozen chairs - all of which were occupied by well dressed, grim expressioned people. Closer to Rose was a coffee table. On either side of said table was a matching set of chairs and a loveseat. In one of those chairs was a redheaded woman, grinning maniacally. She held a drink with one manicured hand and the other was held up as if she had been speaking with her hands.

Across from her stood a man dressed in all black and a masked expression that hid the silent horror in his eyes - a man Rose knew all too well.

Above the shouts of pain and the muffled pleadings, Rose sighed.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me."


	5. Chapter 5

_But when she spun around to ask why the doors were locked, she wasn't in the gas station anymore. No, she was in a rather fancy looking hotel room._

_Above the shouts of pain and the muffled pleadings, Rose sighed._

_"You've got to be kidding me."_

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**In which the odd family spends some quality time together**

(Written to: Song Without Words (I'll Love My Love) from the Second Suite in F for Military Band written by Gustav Holst)

/watch/?v=jkohd2itxaA#II._Song_Without_Words%3A_I_ll_Love_My_Love_%3B_Andante_(Second_Suite_in_F_for_Military_Band)

* * *

Abaddon's snap echoed through the room.

"Gavin, honey." Abaddon cooed in false sweetness. "Say hello to Daddy."

Gavin MacLeod stood looking around, utterly dumbfounded. Where on God's green earth was he?

Crowley watched with delight and a twinge of horror. "How did you-?"

"I know a spell or two, Crowley." Abaddon cut him off, gloating in her little victory.

A face of confusion and amusement was all Crowley displayed as he gestured towards the still befuddled boy. "Are you mad? _This_ is your big card? The boy and I _loathe_ each other. I've made it clear in the past; I don't care what happens to the little bugger."

Yet there was a small voice in the back of his head that was worried for his son, who happened to be more confused than he had ever been in his life. He wanted to look around, but also couldn't stop watching the odd pair conversing.

"No...but that was before?" Abaddon gave a small, malicious smile. "Wasn't it? See, I know all about your little problem. Binging on blood, going right to the edge of being human - all those _human feelings_."

Doing his best to swallow his worry, Crowley shook his head. "I'm clean."

Abaddon replied with a laugh. "And I'm willing to bet there's still a smidge of humanity in there."

"Not a chance." Crowley stood his ground. Abaddon had no hold over him. She had nothing on him.

Then with a flick and a twist of her hand, Gavin groaned and shouted in pain. He clutched at his eyes which were burning in his head. The warm, gooey blood oozed from his eyes, streaming down his face and covering his shirt.

But Crowley held his poker face. "You know, these ghoulish party tricks don't impress. Seen worse, done worse."

The Knight only laughed. "Uh-huh."

Then Gavin was doubled over on the floor, covered in his own blood, still shouting incoherent babbles of agony.

"You're playing a weak hand, Red." Crowley shouted over his son's pain.

Her smiled widened (if it was even possible at this point). "Am I?"

Without once letting up on the poor boy, her hand flicked again.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me."

Crowley's poker face flickered for a moment, but the horror in his eyes was apparent as he watched the newcomer. He berated himself for not chaining her down in the Bunker before he left. He should have known better. She was a Winchester after all - it wasn't likely that would do as she was told.

Rose didn't have to look long to understand what had just happened. She scolded herself. She had used every spell she knew, but Abaddon had still found her. She was so careful and prepared - how did the Hell-Knight manage it?

"What the hell?!" Rose gasped in her own frightened horror when she noticed the blood-coated boy collapsed and screaming - begging for the pain to end. She rushed to his side.

Abaddon gave another sadistic laugh, intent on causing Rose the same pain she was inflicting on Gavin.

"You've made your point." Crowley scowled, stopping her before he had to witness Rose doubled over in pain. "Now _stop._"

With a great laugh, Abaddon shrugged and released Gavin from his torture.

"Are you alright?" Rose asked softly, peeling his hands away from his face. The blood had stopped and the boy's eyes were just fine. However, he was still covered in his own blood.

Gavin looked up at the girl who had come to his aid. He furrowed his brows and tilted his head. "Who are you?"

"I'm Rose." She smiled and helped him to his feet.

His eyes fluttered around the room, looking between the man in black, the ginger, and the kind girl, but he managed to mutter: "I'm Gavin."

Rose deadpanned. She spun to face Crowley. With her lips drawn in a line that bordered a frown and her eyes wide with surprise, she all but yelled: "Gavin?"

Crowley rolled his tongue around in his cheek and gave a nod.

"Oh my god." Rose ran a hand down her face. "This is ridiculous."

"I'm sorry, what's going on?" Gavin spoke with a little more volume and a thick Scottish accent.

Crowley stood in silence. Rose ground her jaw. Abaddon only smiled.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

After a quick trip to the bathroom to put her purchase to good use and to grab a damp hand towel, Rose set to work cleaning up Gavin MacLeod. He had barely moved an inch since she got there. He was still stunned and having a rather difficult time processing the information he was being told - and they hadn't even gotten to the time-traveling or the fact that he was in a room full of demons.

"You are _not_ my father." Gavin protested quite loudly. "My father was Fergus MacLeod, a simple tailor. A drunk, a monster."

"Sounds about right," Abaddon muttered.

"That's him." Rose offered a small smile, but it looked more like a grimace. She took one last swipe at the blood on his shirt, then he was clean.

Gavin looked at the girl next to him with an incredulous expression. Then he faced Crowley and paced towards him, pointing an accusing finger. "He looked nothing like you. And I buried him!"

Crowley gave a tiny shrug and a wave of his hand. "A lot can change in 291 years."

"What?"

In response to his son's density, Crowley turned to the lamp beside him for help. He pulled the shade off, then flicked the switch. The light turned off, then back on again not a second later. Gavin looked around ready to wet his pants.

Still, he approached the light cautiously, a hand outstretched. As he poked at the little bit of technology, Crowley exchanged a somewhat solemn and amused glance with Rose.

Content with his observations, Gavin backed away again, then asked: "Can you cook a pigeon on it?"

Rose bit back a laugh. She was doing her best to put herself in Gavin's shoes, trying to picture what being pulled nearly 300 years into the future would be like for her - but at the moment she found it rather difficult to do. This boy wasn't exactly the sharpest crayon in the box.

"Not terribly bright, is he?" Abaddon retorted, her lips pursed together. Then with a simple flick of her hand, a set of curtains were drawn back and the balcony doors flew open with ease.

"Holy mother of God!" Gavin exclaimed as he wandered outside. "We're amongst the stars!"

Rose couldn't fight the smile growing on her face. She looked from Gavin to Crowley, who was clearly exhausted.

Gavin rushed back inside to look between the strange group. "Are we in Heaven, then? You must be angels!"

Rose held back another laugh while the two demons shared a look of utter exhaustion - their patience had been tried. But at the same instant, all three of them muttered beneath their breath: "Wow."

Gavin smiled proudly, believing he had just solved it all. He had gone to Heaven. The pretty redhead was an angel that took him to Heaven! And my, was Heaven fancy.

Her patience pushed far enough, Abaddon gave a smile to Crowley and stood. "I'll leave you three to catch up. Call me when you're ready."

Then she was gone.

Rose finally let out her laugh. "Angels? Oh my. So far from it."

She bit down on her lip to keep from doubling over in laughter, and she settled down next to Crowley on the loveseat.

"What?" Gavin's smiled slipped. Was he wrong? No way. He had it solved.

Crowley groaned and rolled his head. Rose placed a hand on the King's arm, then turned her attention to Gavin.

"They aren't angels. And this is not Heaven."

"I don't understand." He paced over to get a better look at the odd pair.

"This is Earth. Just….in the future….for you. And they're demons." Rose tried to choose her words carefully. However, she realized that bluntess was the only way to get through his thick skull.

"I don't understand."

"The time-travelling or the demons?" Crowley asked, a hint of irritation in his voice. Rose squeezed his arm.

Gavin only gaped.

"You know about witches, right?" Rose asked. Gavin gave a small nod and swallowed hard. "Good, let's run with that. You were pulled through time using a spell."

He looked far from accepting it just yet, but continued the conversation anyway. "And the demons?"

"Uh, well…." Rose glanced at Crowley who only rolled his tongue in his cheek. "To be blunt, demons are made when souls are tortured in Hell, and souls really only go to Hell if they're sold to another demon."

Gavin knit his eyebrows together. Crowley sighed. "I sold my soul."

Gavin gaped, more confused than not understanding. "What?"

"For three extra inches." Rose added, her eyes flicking down to Crowley's crotch. As Gavin followed her eyes, Rose barked a laugh.

"You sold your soul?! Sold it?! For an extra three inches of willy?!" Gavin shouted.

Rose snickered. "Yeah, yeah he did."

Crowley huffed. "Priorities change. I wasn't the bon vivant that I am now."

Gavin deadpanned.

"Really?" Rose turned to the demon. "You think he's gonna understand that?"

He sighed. "I'll simplify: my soul did a stint in Hell, where it became demonized. Then I had to possess another person so I could traffic with the living. Any of this sticking?"

Crowley watched his son go from confused to panicked in a matter of seconds. All the while, Rose held a firm grasp on his forearm. He was thankful for the touch of reassurance and comfort at the moment. This damn humanity was really getting on his nerves. A year ago, he wouldn't have even bothered trying to explain anything to Gavin. In fact, he might have let Abaddon kill him. But now here he was, worrying about a son who he never cared for - and frankly who never cared for his father in return.

But Rose understood without question. She understood how much his little addiction had affected him. Beyond that, she wasn't exactly going to let anything happen to the boy, Crowley's estranged son or not.

"I-I can't be consorting with a demon!" Gavin exclaimed, clearly shaken.

"Not just any demon!" Crowley sounded a little offended. "I'm the King! The King of Hell!"

Gavin gaped. He looked to Rose, who nodded in silent answer. The poor boy looked ready to pass out.

Crowley smirked with slight joy. "And there you were, worried the old man wouldn't amount to much."

Rose smiled and squeezed the King's arm again. She didn't bother biting back her laugh this time. For being kidnapped by a Knight of Hell, she certainly didn't feel very uncomfortable. At least Abaddon was smart. She didn't need to torture Rose or Gavin to get Crowley to do what she wanted. She knew how to play her hand - and did she play it well.

"What about you?" Gavin turned to Rose now.

"What?" Rose snapped out of her laughter with a jerk.

"Are you a demon too?" He asked simply. He seemed to be understanding what he was being told, though there was still a flicker of skepticism in his eyes.

"As human as you are." Rose replied.

"So who exactly are you then?"

"I, uh, well…" When Rose had decided she would get together with the King of Hell, she had not anticipated having to have this particular conversation. She was about to tell her lover's son that she banged his dad on a regular basis. She had not seen that one coming.

"Well, uh….your _father_-" Rose tripped on the word. "and I are-"

"She's the Queen." Crowley cut her off. His gaze was focused on Gavin. In fact, the phrase rolled off his tongue so simply that it hadn't occurred to him to watch Rose's expression which had snapped from a mix of anxious and cautious to pure shock.

"I beg your pardon?" Rose asked quietly. That was when Crowley noticed her change in demeanor.

He raised his eyebrows instead of asking the question.

Rose bit her lip in thought. Never once in the four years they had been together did he even so much as _hint_ at her being important in the grand scheme of things. She was just a girl he visited. Sure they did more than spend their time in bed. In fact, he had taken her on lavish dates across the world. He spoiled her absolutely rotten with ridiculously expensive gifts - many of which she actually turned down. Nowhere in there did he give her even the smallest notion that he thought _that_ of her.

But Rose couldn't find the words to explain her thoughts, so she settled with muttering: "We'll talk about it later."

They turned back to Gavin, who was looking between the strange couple with a look between surprise and wanting an explanation.

"The Queen of Hell?" Crowley nodded as an answer to the boy's question. "So she is a demon?"

"No, she's human." The King answered, irritation growing on his voice again. He may have been concerned for the boy's well-being, but he certainly wasn't patient with him.

"But she-"

"Gavin, wanna see something cool?" Rose asked, catching Gavin off-guard. She quickly explained: "There's a simple way to test if a person is a demon or not. Watch our eyes."

Without waiting much for Gavin to reply, Rose spoke clearly. "Christo."

Instantly, Crowley's eyes turned a solid red. Rose's remained unchanged.

"What just happened?" Gavin took a step back.

"I said Christ in Latin. It makes demons flinch, more or less. Did you see how his eyes changed color? That's how you know he's a demon. And how you know I'm not." Rose explained. She was treating this more like hunting 101 than explaining Crowley to his son. Frankly, it was less mind-warping that way.

"I don't believe this…." Gavin muttered, finally taking a seat across from the King and his apparent Queen.

Rose sighed. She was back to putting herself in Gavin's shoes, but she found it terribly difficult. There was so much contrast between the two of them that Rose couldn't fully understand Gavin's thoughts no matter how hard she tried. Though she did try, and she had an idea of what he might be experiencing.

Crowley sighed and picked up a newspaper that had been sitting on the coffee table in front of them. He turned his focus away from his son and placed it all on the girl beside him. "Did you really have to do that?"

"Did you want him to spend another hour wondering if you're really a demon or not?" Rose retorted. Crowley wouldn't admit it, but she had a point. So in silent, denied defeat, he took to reading the paper.

"So, I get that you two don't exactly love each other, but what the hell happened between you two?"

"What do you mean?" Crowley raised a brow, barely looking up from the day's headlines.

"Why do you two hate each other so much?"

"Why do I hate him?" Gavin was up on his feet again.

"Oh boy…" Rose mumbled under her breath. She had asked for it - quite literally.

With a great crinkling noise, Crowley lowered the paper. "I mean, I beat you, starved you, came home drunk, beat you some more, woke up hungover, and, yeah, I beat you."

"Crowley!" Rose released her grip on his arm and smacked him on the chest with the back of her hand. He grimaced at the considerable pain he had just caused her.

"In all fairness, I didn't really have any role models." He replied in defense. "My mother was a witch!"

Rose huffed and stood. She paced to the other end of the room that Gavin was on, shaking her head and running a hand through her shoulder-length brunette hair.

"I grew up thinkin' - knowin' I was nothin'. Less than nothin'!" Gavin was half a decibel away from yelling. Rose gaped in pity and compassion. This poor boy….she didn't think Crowley had been a stellar father to his son, but she had no idea it was that bad. From the way it sounded, Crowley was more of a demon when he was a human than he was now!

"You worked me harder than the horse! You never let me go to school. To this day, I can't read!"

"It's overrated. Most of Europe couldn't read." Crowley pushed up from his seat and walked over to the livid and animated Gavin.

"You want to read?" Crowley placed two fingers on his son's forehead with enough force that he actually pushed his head back, then he shoved the newspaper into Gavin's hands. "Read."

Then he took a step back. Rose's pity for the young MacLeod faded into a touch of pride. He might not have enjoyed the humanity lingering in him, but it made Rose love the King of Hell even more.

Love. The King of Hell. Rose smiled at the thought - and at the scene she had just witnessed. As Gavin discovered the gift he had just been given, Rose fell into her thoughts for a moment. She had pondered the topic of loving a demon several times before. Although it wasn't until he showed up in her bedroom experiencing a rather intense withdrawal from human blood that she decided that she did in fact love the ruthless and democratic demon king.

It wasn't the most glamorous night he had spent at her apartment, but she loved being able to take care of him. It was always him healing her when she cut herself on a broken glass or easing her period cramps or taking away a migraine. It was so extremely rare for him to need her help that she seized every chance she got. Sure, he probably didn't want to feel so weak, but despite her tough attitude and kick-ass mentality, Rose was a caring person and loved helping the people close to her.

With a little laugh, Rose was pulled back into the moment - and she was glad she got to witness this one.

"So...if you're a king….that would make me...Prince?" Gavin asked, a small smile appearing on his face.

Crowley practically beamed. "And you say I've never given you anything. A title!"

The boy grinned. Sitting in his chair again, he continued. "And if I was to accept you as my father, you could keep me from eternally burning in Hell? No matter my sins?"

Rose bit back another laugh when she noticed the surprised yet almost proud look on Crowley's face.

"You're negotiating with me?" The demon smiled. "That's my boy."

Gavin was glowing. It was the first time his father had ever been proud of him. The first time he ever felt like something important - like he could amount to something.

Rose strode back over to Crowley and held his arm again, smiling with her own pride. After nearly 300 years, her demon boyfriend was making up with the son he loathed. It was far from what would have been preferable, but it was something.

"This might work out. For the first time in my entire life, I can see possibilities, a future…" Gavin continued smiling. In fact, all three of them were smiling. Rose even chuckled. "Just as soon as you take me back to my own time and I can board that ship for the New World."

The demon and his new Queen deadpanned - frozen.

"About that ship…." Crowley started.

Gavin looked up from the paper, oblivious to the fear and worry growing in the air around the couple. "What about the ship?"

Rose and Crowley exchanged looks. Should they tell him? Could they keep him here forever? Would it mess with the timeline too much?

Rose was the first to speak, tearing her eyes away from Crowley. "It's not important."

With a shrug, Gavin was back to reading. He loved his new ability. He felt like he was on top of the world. In one day, he went from being nothing and nobody to the Prince of Hell who could read and was safe from burning in the Pit.

Rose returned to her seat, and Crowley not a moment after.

"Should we tell him?" Rose asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Crowley said nothing, but the way his jaw moved and the look in eyes was answer enough. He wasn't sure. He was still deliberating over what to do. He could easily keep Gavin here where he would be safe. He could give his son the life he wanted where he would be protected and happy. If he sent Gavin back, not only would he live unhappily, he wouldn't live long enough to _be_ unhappy - or anything for that matter.

That damn humanity….

He wanted to change the topic. "So what is it we're talking about later? It is later, after all, Flower."

Rose sighed. She searched for words and spoke the first few that came to mind. "You've just never….said anything like that before. You're a demon. You don't exactly get all….._feely_ and sentimental like that."

"Blasted humanity…" Crowley mumbled so quietly Rose didn't quite catch it.

"I guess...I'm just….surprised is all. We've been...whatever we've been for nearly four years and….well I just didn't think….I mean I'm a human. A Winchester. You just showed up whenever you wanted and we never asked anything of each other. We never put much thought into anything. It all just….happened." Rose bit down on her lip to keep from talking and digging herself in even deeper.

Four years and this conversation had never happened. They had never questioned what they meant to one another. In fact, Rose was convinced that one day she would just never hear from him again. He would find another human girl to occupy his time. She trusted him, but she had long accepted that she was never going to be anything terribly important to him.

Crowley opened his mouth to reply, but no words came. It wasn't until now that he realized they never did stop for a moment to consider or discuss the state of their relationship - mostly because he was a demon. Human emotions didn't usually take up residence in a demon. He had been intrigued by the girl at first. She hadn't been afraid of him. So he stuck around and popped in to visit time and time again. Then they just….happened. It all happened at once and they never talked about it.

All he knew was that the girl drove him mad. She kept him distracted even when she wasn't there. The time he spent with her was the time he loved the most. Three centuries as a demon and he found nothing that he enjoyed more than spending time with Rose - even if she was a Winchester.

For a moment, he felt guilty. He had let the poor girl wonder for years what he really thought of her. Of course, it didn't occur to him that she hadn't stopped to think about it either.

"Then I guess it's time we discussed it." Crowley spoke slowly and quietly. Rose cocked her head.

"Discuss what exactly?"

"Us."

"Oh."

There was a brief moment of silence in which they both searched for the words they wanted to say. It was so out of character for them both that neither of them had any idea what to do.

"Damn humanity?" Rose gave a small laugh and cracked what she hoped would look like a convincing and unworried smile.

"Damn humanity." Crowley echoed, offering the same minuscule smile.

Then he turned to the guard Abaddon had left behind. With a much louder and deeper voice, he called out: "You can tell Abaddon I'm ready for that chat."

* * *

**Well that was a lot longer than I planned for, but I wanted to get all the conversation out of the way in one go. The action picks up next chapter! Thanks for sticking around for the boring talking!**


	6. Chapter 6

"Damn humanity?" Rose gave a small laugh and cracked what she hoped would look like a convincing and unworried smile.

"Damn humanity." Crowley echoed, offering the same minuscule smile.

Then he turned to the guard Abaddon had left behind. With a much louder and deeper voice, he called out: "You can tell Abaddon I'm ready for that chat."

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX**

**In which Abaddon is a bitch**

(Written to: Curse of the Worgen by Russell Brower from World of Warcraft: Cataclysm)

Listen on repeat: /watch/?v=lK8hlK81RV8#World_of_Warcraft_-_Cataclysm_-_08_-_Curse_of_the_Worgen_%5BSoundtrack%5D

* * *

Of all the people to call at that moment, the last person Dean expected was Crowley. In fact, it set his heart pounding.

"What the hell is going on? Is Rose alright?" Dean bit back the urgency in his voice to keep from drawing attention.

"Yes, Squirrel, she's just fine."

"Then what the hell are you calling for?"

"I told you I'd be in touch when I found Abaddon. Well, I'm in touch, aren't I?"

"I thought you were going to stay with Rose! I should have known better. Does her safety mean nothing to you?"

"That's not very fair. Of course it matters! Now do you want Abaddon or not?"

Dean huffed and shared an exasperated glance with his younger brother. That stupid demon had gone and ditched their sister - after she insisted that he could be trusted.

"Alright. Where are you?"

"First things first: I'll give you the location of the First Blade. You two fetch it, I'll keep her in my sights, then we'll remove her from the payroll for good."

* * *

Crowley didn't look one bit pleased, but nevertheless it still looked as if he and Abaddon were conspiring. She sat near him while Rose lingered beside Gavin. She was completely on edge around the Knight of Hell. Rose hadn't been one bit frightened of Crowley the first time they met, but she was certainly intimidated by Abaddon (to say the least). However, she hid it well enough.

After Crowley hung up with the Winchester brothers, Rose spoke up. "You do realize they're going to call me now, right? They think Crowley ditched me and I'm laying in a ditch somewhere out cold."

Abaddon smiled at the thought of killing the girl. She was looking forward to killing each and every person in that room once Sam and Dean arrived.

"You'll just have to convince them otherwise. But breath one little codeword-"

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Rose fought the urge to roll her eyes.

Sure enough, not a second later, Rose's cell phone began to ring. She answered with hesitation and a glance up at the demons.

"Hey. What's going on?" She asked, doing her best to sound complete bored.

"You okay? Heard Crowley left." Dean spoke carefully, testing the waters. However, Rose could hear the worry and irritation.

"He had a meeting and couldn't babysit. I'm fine. I don't need constant supervision." Rose retorted. Crowley scoffed as quietly as he could, earning a glare of daggers from the brunette.

"You sure you're fine?"

"Dean. I'm fine. Don't worry about me, okay?"

"Okay. Don't leave or do anything stupid, you hear me?"

"Yes, Dean, I hear you. Tell Sam I said hi."

Before Dean could say anything else, Rose hung up. Stowing her phone in her pocket, the girl let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding.

"Now we wait." Abaddon was still smiling. She had gotten her way. Soon enough, there would be nothing in her path and she would Queen of Hell - not the halfwit Winchester girl that Crowley was foolish enough to fall in love with.

Rose nodded absentmindedly and murmured an echoed: "Now we wait."

She took a seat on the small sofa across from Gavin - who was still buried in the day's news with a smile on his face.

Rose was exhausted. On top of her period cramps and all the lethargy that comes with Mother Nature's gift to women, she was worn from all the excitement that had occurred over the last few hours. She had been kidnapped by a Knight of Hell, met the King of Hell's son, and almost had several conversations that she never expected even in her wildest dreams.

Which brought her thoughts back to what Crowley had said about her. He had called her the Queen of Hell. She was human - a Winchester. Not only did she have any real claim on the title, she hardly thought she was worthy of it. Sure, there was nothing righteous about ruling Hell, but it was a big deal for the demons. After all, she was stuck in this godforsaken hotel suite because it was such a big deal.

But that wasn't the point. The point was that after four years of a relatively plain relationship that in no way was built upon relying on each other for anything, he suddenly decides that he's going to share his throne with her. Was she that important to him? Or was it simply a less confusing way to explain their involvement to his son?

No, that couldn't have been all there was to it. Their conversation after had given Rose the impression that there was more to it than a simple explanation for a boy who's entire paradigm of existence was shifting in a matter of seconds. This had something to do with his human blood addiction.

Which reminded Rose that she had no idea why he had become addicted in the first place. Why on Earth would a demon decide to binge on human blood? Especially when it so clearly screwed with their heads. He had never explained, and she had only asked twice before coming to the conclusion that he wasn't likely to talk about it. He didn't usually hide things from her - only the things that she didn't want to hear about (torture, for example). Which was strange enough itself - a demon not hiding things from a human - but he didn't usually clam up about things the way he had with his addiction. Whatever happened must have seriously bruised his ego.

But her brothers were hiding things from her too. And clearly they knew Crowley plenty well. What was even more surprising is that they were willing to keep him around. Sure, Rose had threatened them big time if they tried to keep her and the demon apart, but they already seemed oddly comfortable with him. Were they in on something together? They were all keeping things from her. Was it all related? Did her brothers know about his addiction?

Rose gnawed on her cheek as her thoughts ran faster than she could keep up with, only making her even more tired. Her hands were folded in her lap and it took a fair bit of self-control to keep from wringing them. She was intimidated by the Knight, but she would be damned if she was going to make that plain.

Crowley made his way over to the Winchester girl and sat beside her, keeping a careful eye on her.

"You have yet to explain exactly why you left the Bunker." He raised a questioning brow, staring her down.

Rose sighed. "Mother Nature called and I wasn't prepared."

Crowley nodded, his lips pursed together. Without a word, he reached forward and placed a calloused hand on Rose's lower abdomen. Her constant, aching pain quickly dissolved into nothing. She felt as though the grip that had been wringing her insides had graciously decided to leave her be.

"Thank you." Rose spoke softly, avoiding eye contact. She was still scolding herself.

"We'll discuss the stupidity of that action later." He returned just as softly, but with a reprimanding harshness. Rose only sighed again. She wasn't looking forward to when her brothers found out either.

"You know, there's a lot we need to talk about. Starting with what you and my brothers are hiding from me." Rose found the guts to look up at Crowley with a smug look on her face.

"Sorry, love. Sworn to secrecy."

She huffed and crossed her arms, leaning back in her seat. "Since when do you give a flying fuck about that?"

While he mustered a response, Rose asked another question. "Why are you sworn to secrecy?"

He took another moment to think, all the while Rose keep her squinty-eyed glare on him.

"For your safety, Flower. If I tell you, you'll never be able to go back to Chicago. You'd have to stay with your brothers, which is the last thing I want for you. People who spend their time with those two don't tend to live very long."

"I-" Rose's mouth opened and shut ever so slightly as she thought. Her eyebrows knit together with confusion. "What?"

Crowley sighed and tore his gaze from her's. "Believe it or not, I'm a bit attached to you. So you must forgive me for not wanting you to die."

That didn't help her confusion one bit. Today was just a day for confessions, apparently. Perhaps she could work that to her advantage.

But as she opened her mouth to question him again, Crowley turned back to Rose and gave her such a look that she nearly flinched. He looked upset and had a certain fire in his eyes. He wasn't angry, persay, but agitated. "I'm not telling you anything, Rose. You'll just have to live with that."

She contemplated asking more questions anyway. Her nostrils were flared and ground her jaw, but decided on the route of sass. "Then I'm not telling you anything either."

Crowley couldn't help but scoff a laugh at her response. "What sort of secrets could you possibly be keeping from me?"

On instinct, Rose ever-so-maturely stuck her tongue out at him and threw herself into a reclined position on the loveseat, dropping her feet into the demon's lap with a thud.

"Well for starters, you had no idea I was a Winchester." She smirked with personal victory.

"Well I know that now." He shifted his position to one that was more comfortable and allowed Rose to maintain her relaxed state.

"Ah, see, but there are other things I could be hiding." Rose answered with a wink and half an eyebrow wiggle.

"Not likely." He smirked right back. He wasn't going to let her win.

"You say that now."

* * *

Hours had passed. Rose had changed position on that damn loveseat so many times, she was certain she had sat every way possible. Gavin had finally finished the newspaper after asking a million questions in order to decipher the true meaning of all of the words he could read. Abaddon had taken to amusing herself by watching the odd interactions between the former King of Hell and his supposed Queen - who was a very strange human to say the least.

Sam and Dean had retrieved the First Blade (which Rose had already tried asking about but was shut down the moment the phrase passed her lips) and the demons were waiting for the call asking where to find them.

Although, Rose had found it extremely amusing when her brothers had called for Crowley to call off his hellhound. She had teased him a good while about the name and the cooing voice he had used over the phone. If he wasn't careful, he'd be coddling babies next.

But all air of boredom and amusement dissipated the moment Crowley decided to bring up the ship again. Despite Rose's warnings about the Butterfly Effect and messing with the timeline, Crowley's humanity was determined to keep his son alive. He didn't care about the rules at the moment (though he rarely did).

"What are you talkin' about? Of course I'm boarding that ship when I go back! I want to go back to my life!" Gavin shouted. He was up on his feet and was retreating to the bedroom. Crowley had followed him, but remained on the other side of the threshold.

"It's not a good idea." Crowley tried to reason with him, but the two women in the room could see it wasn't going very well.

"I'm going to the colonies. I'm workin' my way across. I've given my word!" Gavin was well in the bedroom now, but Crowley stood his ground opposite the doorway from his son.

"Gavin, listen to your father. I know what's-" Gavin slammed the door in his face. Crowley went from loud and reprimanding to quiet and exhausted. "best for you."

He spun and caught Rose's eye. She was suppressing a side-splitting laugh.

"Kids." He muttered.

Rose shook her head, still smiling, and walked over to the demon. She opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by his phone ringing.

He answered without a hesitation. "Squirrel. I hope you were nice to your father."

Rose placed a delicate hand on Crowley's shoulder, and with a smile and a nod towards the doors, whispered: "I got it."

He gave half a nod and continued conversing with Dean while Rose headed for the bedroom doors. She knocked. "Gavin, it's Rose. Can I come in?"

He opened the door slowly, and Rose crept in then shut it behind her.

"If you're here to talk me into staying off that ship, don't bother." Gavin plopped on the bed in frustration.

"I would love to, but you clearly have your father's stubbornness. Although I can't say much about that. I'm pretty stubborn myself." Rose sat beside the boy and leaned her weight back on her arms.

"So then what do you want?"

She sighed before continuing. "Listen, I get that Crowley-er, Fergus- wasn't exactly the best father when he was alive. And yeah, he's a demon now, but he's got a bit of humanity in him. And he really is just trying to look out for you."

"He's telling me to forfeit my one chance at making a life for myself!" Gavin turned his body to face the brunette girl, the exasperation clear in both his voice and posture.

Rose contemplated her next words. She figured there was no harm in just telling him. Screw the Butterfly Effect. He could go back and just take a different ship.

"That ship….it doesn't make it to the New World. It sinks. You die."

He hadn't been expecting that. He swallowed hard but continued to stare at the woman beside him. "I die? On that ship? That's why you don't want me on it?"

"Exactly." She nodded. Her lips rolled in and pressed together.

Gavin fell to silence. Rose watched him closely. They sat like that - facing each other, leaning on their arms, in silence - for a good ten minutes while the young MacLeod processed the new information.

"When you get back, you can just find a different ship, right? Go later?" Rose asked softly.

Gavin nodded. "I suppose."

Rose offered a small smile. At least she was getting somewhere with him.

He looked back up at her, his eyes practically drowning in questions. "So you and my father…"

"What about us?"

"Does that make you my stepmother?"

"I-what?"

"Aren't you married?"

Rose jumped at the thought. Her weight was no longer resting on her arms, and her back was straighter than ruler.

"Married? Oh god, no. We're not. Just….together."

Laughing off the awkwardness she felt practically oozing from her form, Rose shifted into a criss-cross-applesauce position facing her lover's son.

"Together? But not married?" He raised a brow.

"Yeah." She nodded and rolled her lips in to bite down on them. Married? Her and Crowley? The thought was…..ridiculous. That was what she settled on. Ridiculous. But after his little stunt and making her the apparent Queen of Hell, Gavin wasn't crazy for coming to that conclusion. Although, Rose was beginning to think that she was going crazy.

Her head was beginning to hurt. Everything she had known and accepted was being flipped on upside down and backwards and inside out all at once.

Gavin decided not to push that topic any more than he had already. Rose's tense posture and even more intense facial expression had not gone unnoticed by him.

Instead, they sat like that on the bed for several hours simply talking. Gavin had no intention of returning to the room and facing his father, and Rose was content having a normal conversation with him. They discussed all of the exciting things throughout history. She had explained modern technology and customs and he told her tales of what his time was like. To say the least, both were utterly fascinated with the stories the other had to tell. But neither of them mention the demons in the adjacent room.

That was, until a gunshot echoed through the whole Penthouse.

Rose immediately jumped to her feet and rushed to the door. She turned the doorknob-

But it wouldn't budge.

She threw her weight into the door, but it didn't let up.

"Dammit," She mumbled under her breath. Abaddon must have sealed them in the room. Just what the hell was she doing?

* * *

**Sorry about the delay on this chapter! I might go to updating every other day until I catch up on my writing. On top of the lovely power outage yesterday and the slew of internet problems that followed, my writing mojo is declining. I'll get it back soon enough.**

**Also, I would like to apologize for the mistakes I know were in the last part. I'll revise it eventually and everything will be wonderful! I know I keep saying that the action is coming, but I promise it is!**


	7. Chapter 7

_That was, until a gunshot echoed through the whole Penthouse._

_Rose immediately jumped to her feet and rushed to the door. She turned the doorknob-_

_But it wouldn't budge._

_She threw her weight into the door, but it didn't let up._

_"Dammit," She mumbled under her breath. Abaddon must have sealed them in the room. Just what the hell was she doing?_

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

**In which Rose discovers the startling truth**

(Written to: Delta Birth by Jeff Williams and Steve Goldshein from Red vs. Blue Season 9)

Listen on repeat: /watch/?v=hEq01-0ujBE#12%3A_Delta_Birth_-_Red_vs_Blue_Season_9_OST_(Jeff_Williams_%26_Steve_Goldshein)

* * *

Rose unsuccessfully attempted to force the door open several more times before Gavin asked her what was going on. As she flew around the room searching for anything that could help her in her task, she explained as simply as she could.

"We're locked in here. Abaddon sealed us in. I need to get out - something awful's gonna happen." Rose ripped the drawers open on the dresser and both of the nightstands. She flung open the closet and shoved aside hangers and what she assumed were Crowley's suits.

"What's going to happen?" Gavin was both confused and concerned. He had grown accustomed to the confusion at this point, but now he had taken a liking to his father's….whatever she was to him. She had been so calm through everything. If she was frazzled now, it meant that he probably should be too.

Rose paused for a fleeting moment to make eye contact with the Scot. Her eyes were boring into his soul and were filled with the most unnerving mixture of anger, anxiety, and worry.

"Abaddon is going to kill all of us. My brothers, your father, us."

Enough time wasted making her point, Rose went back to her frantic searching. The closet being a bust, she made a beeline for the bathroom, muttering more to herself than Gavin. "Unless we find a way to throw her off….there's gotta be something in here…."

Gavin jumped to his feet, the gravity of the situation at last settling in him. "What are you looking for?"

Rose's head was buried in the cabinets beneath the sink, but she spoke loudly enough for him to hear. "There's two ways out of this room: the doors and the windows. The door is being held shut by demonic powers, so I would need to use a spell to counteract it. We could always bust through the window and crawl our way to the balcony on the other side…"

"That sounds a bit….dangerous." Gavin swallowed hard. Heights were a new thing - especially this many stories high.

"So spell it is…" Rose retreated from the cabinet to pause and think. "Let's see….knowing Abaddon….that might work….."

"What do you need for it?" Gavin poked his head into the bathroom for the answer.

"Crowley better have hidden some stuff in here…."

* * *

Dean knew it was a trap. He hadn't missed Crowley's almost pathetic attempt at getting their codeword across. Poughkeepsie. Drop everything and run. But he also knew that he was going to kill Abaddon. He had no doubt. With the Mark and the Blade, he was unstoppable.

Sam was safe. Rose was safe. That was all that mattered. So he had no problem charging into whatever mess Crowley had made.

He wasn't sure what he expected, but it certainly wasn't Crowley slumped in a chair with blood oozing from a bullet wound in his shoulder.

"Hello, Dean. Love the crazy bloodlust in your eyes." Crowley gave a sad excuse for a cheeky smile. Something was seriously wrong. "Let's not waste time. I'll take you to Abaddon." Then with a flick of his eyes, he added: "It's not far."

Then he understood. This was more than just a mess. Abaddon had set this whole thing up. How she had managed to trap Crowley was something Dean didn't have time to think about at the moment.

Dean spun to face the malicious redhead. He felt the bloodlust coursing through his veins. She was right there. He could stab her and be done with this - stab her and win.

"A boy and his blade." Abaddon mused with her typical, mocking smile. "And still no match for the new queen."

Dean made no move just yet. He had to do this just right. He watched her movements as she gloated, taking confident steps towards him.

"So, first...you'll die….painfully. And then Crowley will watch his son and lover die-" Dean glanced over to the still-trapped demon, a new fire in his eyes. "and then the king himself. And Blade destroyed. That's quite a to-do list."

Before Dean could move a muscle - before he could think - he was pinned against the wall.

But the Blade was still in his hand.

Abaddon smiled and laughed at her victory. She was going to savor this moment - these kills. Then she would have Hell all to herself.

Dean refused to be defeated. He was going to gank that bitch into the next century. If he could just get free…

He fought against the invisible force with every ounce of his being. He gripped the Blade, focusing on how it felt in his hand, how it felt to have such power, how it would feel to kill the Knight. He felt his right forearm searing. He felt the Blade twist in his hand. He felt himself leaving the wall behind.

The force never let up. He was simply stronger than it.

* * *

A wind gushed through the cracks in the doorway. Rose felt it nipping at her ankles. She had failed to hear the muffled conversation through the door, but she hadn't missed the resounding smack of something (or someone) being thrown at a wall. She could only hope and pray that her brothers weren't there yet. She knew Crowley could take care of himself, but that gunshot had her worried. It was silly of her, since - of course - it takes a lot more than a gunshot wound to get a demon down. But it was Abaddon. She always had something up her sleeve.

"What is goin' on out there?" Gavin watched the door with frightened curiosity.

Rose offered no reply. Instead, she silently and swiftly dumped the contents of a rather expensive-looking shampoo bottle down the bathroom sink and rinsed it out. It would have to do for mixing the ingredients for the spell together. Leave it to Crowley to have spell-makings hidden beneath the bed. Thankfully, what Rose required was nothing rare or terribly special. However, it was a Knight of Hell's power that was holding that door shut. It was a stab in the dark thinking this spell might work against that.

But she had to do something. She had to get out and help.

With Gavin's aid, they portioned the ingredients and tossed them into the now empty shampoo bottle. Rose shook the bottle to mix the repulsively orange paste. It reminded her of an odd night out with her brothers that ended with her vomiting nearly the same color and texture of the substance in her hands.

Rose swallowed her gagging. She wasted no time in dipping her fingers in the paste and drawing the required sigil across both doors. She racked her brain for each symbol and created them with the paste the second she could visualize them.

"You might want to stand back." She warned her new friend, then took several steps back herself. By this time, Gavin well understood that Rose was not to be questioned or taken lightly. From her stories and what he had picked up about her, when she was serious about something, it pretty much came down to listening to her or dying. She knew what she was doing. So he had backed so far from the door that he was flush against the furthest corner.

Her own legs pressed against the foot of the bed, Rose spoke the spell without hesitation.

* * *

The Blade reconnected with Dean's hand and his feet with the ground.

Sam shoved the Penthouse door open and wedged his way in before the unnatural wind could slam it shut on him. The hurricane-force winds took all of his strength to fight against. But as the tallest Winchester came into the room, he had just enough time to see Dean break free from Abaddon's telekinetic grip before he marched forward and shoved the blade through her abdomen with every bit of strength he possessed.

At the same moment that Dean broke free, another set of doors flew open, and Rose rushed forward - only to freeze in the threshold as she watched her big brother run the Knight of Hell through.

No one had time to process anything. They were all focused on the blinding light and deafening screams exploding from the redhead. She was hoisted off the ground by more strength than anyone thought Dean was capable of. Yet there she was: dangling from a mere blade made of bone.

When the light and the noise faded to nothing, Dean dumped Abaddon's body to the ground with a lack of grace. Rose swallowed hard. Her mind was racing. How on earth did any of that just happen? Her brothers were in much deeper than they had ever let on - than she ever could have guessed.

Dean still felt the bloodlust and power overwhelming him. He wanted to slaughter. There was nothing else to kill, and he was too focused on the body before him. He had won. He was powerful. He had killed a Knight of Hell. The blood oozing from the stab wound on her stomach was invigorating. But he wasn't satisfied just yet.

Sam and Rose watched with complete horror as their big brother raised the Blade again. He jammed it into the lifeless body before him, over and over and over. Blood sprayed in uneven bursts and covered his clothes and face. There was no remorse in his eyes - only violence.

Rose felt her throat tighten. Her hand flew to her mouth, and the other braced her against the doorframe.

"Dean! Dean!" Sam took careful steps forward. He had to get Dean to calm down. He was barely aware of Rose's presence; he was too focused on Dean to worry about her at the moment. "Dean! Stop! You can stop."

When Dean was finally able to pull himself from his kill-happy trance, he registered the horror on his brother's face. He noticed his baby sister in the doorway. He recognized the terror in her whole essence.

He looked from his siblings, to the Blade, to Abaddon, and then to the blood on himself.

What had he done?


	8. Chapter 8

_When Dean was finally able to pull himself from his kill-happy trance, he registered the horror on his brother's face. He noticed his baby sister in the doorway. He recognized the terror in her whole essence._

_He looked from his siblings, to the Blade, to Abaddon, and then to the blood on himself._

_What had he done?_

* * *

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

**In which Rose learns the truth**

(Written to: Harry and Ginny by Alexandre Desplat from Deathly Hallows Part 1)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=OwCf3FSz2M4#%236_Harry_and_Ginny_-_Alexandre_Desplat_%E2%80%A2_Harry_Potter_and_the_Deathly_Hallows_Part_1

* * *

No one spoke. The air was so still and tense, it surely could have been sliced by a needle. No one spoke, and no one moved. Not even Crowley dared a witty remark. The moment ridden with unspoken horror seemed to stretch forever.

But it was in that moment that Rose realized she no longer knew her brothers. It didn't matter how much they had been through together, how much pain that had endured as a family, how often they were there for one another. Her brothers had kept this from her. Who was to say they didn't keep more hidden than just this - this horrible thing that turned her big brother into a….a monster.

So naturally, she was the first one to speak, and when she did, it was nothing more than a strained whisper. "What's going on?"

Sam snapped up to look at her. He swallowed hard. He glanced between his brother and sister.

"Rose...why aren't you at the bunker?" Dean returned her question with one of his own. He still hadn't looked up from the blood on his hands. His voice was deeper than usual and sounded as if he had a flu's worth of mucous stuck in his throat.

Rose bit her cheek to keep from crying. Her eyes were stinging with unwelcome, watery warmth. She was reluctant to answer. She knew there was lecture coming, but frankly she was too focused on the scene she had just witnessed. She wanted answers.

"I'm afraid that's my fault." Crowley's gravelly voice rang from the depths of one of the chairs. Rose's head jerked towards the voice's direction. In all the commotion, she had nearly forgotten about the demon.

Dean's hand clenched around the First Blade. His eyes lit with anger. That demon that Rose was so certain they could trust had landed her in trouble - in the middle of the mess they were so determined to keep her out of.

Dean rose to his feet and turned to face the now unopposed King of Hell. As he strode towards the trapped demon, he practically growled: "Damn right it's your fault."

"Dean, no." Sam called out. That was all it took for Rose to realize what was happening.

She sprinted forward and lunged at her brother. She tackled him with all her might, and Dean hit the ground with a thud, the Blade still in hand.

"Rose!" Sam rushed to his siblings. Rose fought against Dean's strength, reaching to knock the Blade from his hands. Sam was unsuccessful in pulling the two apart and received a blow to the gut that made him stumble back.

Rose reached out for the Blade again. With his free hand, Dean grabbed her throat and shoved her away. He stood before she could pin him down once more. Rose lunged again, this time going straight for his right arm. With one swift movement, Dean had her pinned in a headlock.

Rose was determined. She knelt down in front of her brother, his arm still around her, and used his weight against him to flip him over her. The next instant, Dean was laying on his back after a sickening thud.

Sam seized the moment to take the First Blade from the eldest Winchester. "Dean, you have to stop."

Slowly, Dean's grip let up, and Sam pulled the weapon away before Dean could take back his action.

"What the _hell_ is going on?" Rose asked again, louder this time.

"It's better if you-"

"Don't pull that crap anymore, Dean. After what I just witnessed, I deserve answers. Now. Nothing but the truth. And I want all of it." Rose's jaws were clenched together in a frown.

No one responded immediately. They were all still processing.

Rose glanced over at Crowley. She was quick to notice the wound in his shoulder. "The hell happened to you?"

"Devil's trap carved in a bullet." He answered with a disgruntled frown of his own.

She sighed, all of her frustration evident in the one little noise.

"Gavin," She called to the bedroom. "Can you grab a towel for me?"

With half a curt nod, the boy scurried to the bathroom, grabbed the first towel he saw, then rushed it over to the brunette girl. Rose thanked him, took the towel, and knelt beside Crowley.

"Can you move at all?" Crowley nodded in answer. "Jacket and shirt. Off. Now."

Crowley bit back his witty and suggestive retort. Rose was likely to dig the bullet in even further if he pissed her off right now. So instead, he followed her orders. He shrugged off the jacket and unbuttoned the shirt enough so that Rose could push it aside and access the bullet wound.

"Either of you have a pocket knife?" She asked quietly, glancing towards her brothers. Sam dug into his pockets, then tossed its contents to his sister. Rose caught the little weapon with ease and set to work.

"Somebody better start talking." Rose began by mopping away the blood on Crowley's shoulder. The towel soaked it up with ease, staining it a deep red.

Neither of the boys knew where to start. Sam and Dean exchanged glances. They didn't have a choice. They had to tell her. She wasn't going back to Chicago after seeing what Dean had done.

So Crowley started for them. "I needed help killing Abaddon, so I enlisted Rocky and Bullwinkle."

"You needed help?" Rose scoffed, exchanging the bloody towel for the pocket knife.

"There's only one thing that can kill a Knight of Hell, and it's _that_ blade." He explained. "It's called the First Blade. Cain made it to kill his brother. Abel."

"And you couldn't use the damn thing yourself because…?" Rose trailed off, waiting for him to fill in the rest of the statement. She brought the knife to his shoulder.

He sighed, then winced at the little blade piercing his skin. "Because it requires the Mark of Cain for it to work. That was something that I couldn't acquire."

"So you used my brother to do your dirty work."

"We needed her dead, too. And it could come in handy." Dean finally spoke up. His throat had cleared some and his voice was returning to normal.

"How deep does this all run?" Rose asked quietly. She swallowed hard. She wasn't sure if she really wanted the answer to that, but she needed to know just how much she had been deceived.

Sam and Dean exchanged worried and regretful looks again. Sam was the one who answered. "Pretty deep."

"How long?" The question was simple, but both brothers understood the real meaning. _How long have you been hiding things? How long have you been lying?_

Both brothers cast their gaze to the floor. "Since you left."

Crowley grunted in pain. The little knife digging the bullet out of his shoulder had jerked wildly when Rose tensed up. Without an apology, she yanked the blade from the wound and slammed it onto the table beside her. The noise was loud enough to make Gavin - who was sitting on the bed in the other room - jump several feet in the air.

Nostrils flared and breathing uneven, Rose jammed her forefinger and thumb into the bullet wound. Not two seconds later, the bullet was out. She threw that on the table just as forcefully as the pocket knife.

No one dared speak. There was one thing they had all learned about Rose. If she was pissed, you didn't get in her way. If she was pissed, you didn't challenge her. If she was pissed, you did what she said then got the hell outta dodge. It was an unfortunate characteristic she had picked up from her father.

She remained kneeling on the ground. She didn't once look up at anyone. She was filled with a fire she had only felt once before, and that was when she learned that her father and brothers had been hiding the truth about the things that go bump in the night. Even as a child she had a temper and a strong distaste for people lying to her.

"So what? You didn't like that I was sick of hunting and that was your pathetic way of getting back at me?" Her voice was an octave and a half deeper, and several decibels softer than her last question. She was livid, but she was holding back.

"We did it to protect you." Sam answered. Out of the four men in the Penthouse, he was the least afraid of her temper - but not by much.

"And how exactly does lying protect me?" Her words were drawn out, spoken with purposely slow suspense.

Dean spoke up. Quietly, he attempted to justify their actions. "You wanted out. If we had told you anything about what was happening, you would have jumped right back in and blamed us for all of it."

Rose looked up her brothers. They flinched at the fire they saw burning in her eyes.

"What happened?" Her lips were drawn together. She was biting back her temper. Rose wanted answers, but yelling wasn't going to earn her any.

The boys were even more terrified of her cold, calculating anger than her screaming and fits.

They exchanged one dreading glance before Sam answered.

"The Apocalypse."

"The….Apocalypse? _The_ Apocalypse?"

"And an angelic civil war." Dean added.

"_What?_"

Sam and Dean alternated telling her what happened over the past few years in as brief statements as possible.

"Cas opened Purgatory and became God."

"And we tried to close the Gates of Hell."

"Heaven got locked up and all the angels fell."

"And we've been in the middle of all of it."

"We were the ones that got Crowley hooked on human blood. The last trial to seal Hell was to cure a demon."

Rose would have gaped in awe if she hadn't been as livid as she was. Her fists her clenched so tightly, her nails were drawing blood.

"When did all of this start?"

"Just before you left." Dean regretted the words the moment they left his mouth.

"I beg your pardon?" Rose fumed. She did her best to keep her voice low and even, but it was beginning to falter.

Dean made eye contact with her. "Sam didn't just miraculously recover. He was dead." He paused, expecting Rose to bark something back. She didn't. So he continued. "I made a deal. My soul for his life."

Rose slowly rose to her feet. When her eyes made contact with her brothers again, they were certain she was going to pummel them to death right then and there.

But when she spoke, her voice was equal parts pure anger and heartbreaking sadness. It was still low and quiet, but it caught every few words. Her figurative Adam's-apple was bobbing. "You sold your soul, and you just let me leave?"

No one answered.

"You had ten years left, and you spent six of them keeping me out of your life?"

"I didn't have ten."

"What?" Rose barked, her voice favoring the anger over the sadness.

Dean took a deep breath. "The demon only gave me a year. How do you think we met Cas? He pulled me from Hell."

Rose's gaze fell. Her brothers had both died. Sam was only saved by Dean's stupidity and inability to live without his baby brother. Dean was saved by pure miracle that an angel (or maybe even God) cared enough about his sorry ass to pull it from the Pit.

She sat on the loveseat behind her. Her posture remained stiff and intimidating. Her ankles were crossed and her forearms and hands rested on her lap.

"Crowley, you should get Gavin and go. My brothers and I apparently have a lot of catching up to do." The boys were ready to flinch at her words, but the anger had faded. In fact, Rose felt like crying now. The need to punch someone's face in had melted away only to be replaced with the most heart-wrenching sadness and betrayal. So they flinched, but not in the way they had been expecting.

Nevertheless, Crowley heeded her words. He stopped by the newly proclaimed Queen of Hell before heading to the bedroom. He bent down and kissed her cheek. She never once moved her gaze from the seats and table before her.

Crowley whispered to her: "I'll be back for you. Just text me when it's safe for me to come."

Rose nodded, her blurry gaze still static. Crowley readjusted his jacket and finished redoing his tie as he walked over to his son. In a blink, the were both gone, leaving the Winchesters to have their chat.

"Sit." Rose spoke softly, though her voice still had an edge to it.

Neither brother hesitated to take up residence in the chairs across from their sister.

"I want to hear everything. Everything from the moment Dean sold his soul to the moment you kicked in my door to take me to the Bunker. All of it. Don't skip a single detail, and don't give me any bullshit about protecting me."

It took a moment for them to recall just what to start with. It took a moment of swallowing hard and wringing their hands. It took a moment of Rose's pain-ridden gaze boring into their souls.

But then they explained everything.

And Rose listened with silent horror, biting back her anger and tears.

* * *

**So it just occurred to me that I haven't been putting the typical disclaimer on my chapters! So, uh...I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters or plots. I only own Marian Rose Winchester and the bits that are altered by her presence.**

**See? The action picked up some! The next two chapters are gonna slow down a bit and have some well-deserved fluff for Rose, then it'll be right back into the drama. Thanks for sticking around for the slow development!**

**Also, I've been itching to do some fluff and backstory for Rose and Crowley, so I might be posting a collection of oneshot-style stories at some point. They'll take place throughout their four years together and give a bit more insight into their relationship as well as Rose's character. Once I have more to go on, I'll let you know!**


	9. Chapter 9

_"I want to hear everything. Everything from the moment Dean sold his soul to the moment you kicked in my door to take me to the Bunker. All of it. Don't skip a single detail, and don't give me any bullshit about protecting me."_

_It took a moment for them to recall just what to start with. It took a moment of swallowing hard and wringing their hands. It took a moment of Rose's pain-ridden gaze boring into their souls._

_But then they explained everything._

_And Rose listened with silent horror, biting back her anger and tears._

* * *

**CHAPTER NINE**

**In which Rose takes a break from thinking**

(Written to: Evenstar by Howard Shore from The Two Towers)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=H_LckEp1MOE#Howard_Shore_-_Evenstar_(Feat._Isabel_Bayrakdarian)

* * *

Rose was no stranger to silence. She didn't seek it out, but she didn't mind it. Growing up with two brothers, there was rarely a silent moment for Rose to be content with. When she settled down in Chicago, it had taken her 7 months to get used to the silence in her apartment. There were no sibling quarrels, no orders from their father, no slamming doors, no gunshots, no wrestling. Only silence.

For seven silent months, Rose jumped at every little noise. She jumped at the floorboards creaking when she would walk about. She jumped at the wind rushing past her windows. She jumped at the noise the TV made when it turned on. She even jumped at the silence. And each time she jumped, her hunter instincts would override everything else. She would jump into action without a second thought, gun drawn, eyes wide, silently padding around her apartment.

But then she grew to find comfort in it. For the first time in her life, she had been able to think clearly. She didn't have to worry about her siblings. She didn't have to worry about the door getting kicked in. She could just sit in the silence and _think_.

And thinking was the one thing Rose didn't want to do right now.

She had half a mind to go to the closest bar and get drunk off her ass - drown her sorrows in whatever cheap whiskey they had on hand. She didn't care if she had the hangover of the century the next morning. Anything would be better than the pain she was feeling right now. Hell, even bloody, endless torture would be better than this.

Her bittersweet silence had only been broken by Crowley's soft, careful footsteps towards the loveseat, on which he situated himself beside her never moving figure. He was hesitant to break the silence with speech. Instead, he settled for rearranging the hair that was hanging over her pale face.

Rose wanted so badly for the silence to end, but she couldn't think of anything to say. She was tired of thinking. She had done plenty of it for the past two hours. She had kicked her brothers out after hearing their story. She was a fool to think they were simple hunters. She was a fool to think the Winchester name having such a reputation was merely their father's doing.

On top of the cataclysmic events they somehow kept getting roped into, each of the brothers had died. Several times. And neither of them thought to mention it to their _sister_. Their _blood_. Their _family_. The only other Winchester who was still alive. The only Winchester that hadn't died.

Rose cleared her throat. It didn't help the silence. So she spat out the first thing that came to mind. "I don't want to talk about it."

"I wasn't planning on making you, Flower." Crowley returned her quiet, somber tone. He had no sympathy for Rocky and Bullwinkle. In fact, he was tempted to smack some sense into them himself. But for the girl beside him, he had a surprising amount of empathy.

"Do you want to stay here for a while? I can fetch some things for you-"

"No."

"Then where would you like to go, love?"

Crowley tucked another strand of hair behind her ear.

"Anywhere. It doesn't matter."

He stood and offered a hand to the brunette. Rose tore her gaze away from the silent nothing she had been staring at. She took his hand and pulled herself to her feet.

Before Rose could even blink, her surroundings had changed drastically. The dark decor of the Penthouse vanished and melted into trees and colorful flowers. She was standing on a cobblestone path that ran through the woods and up to a little house with a thatched roof.

The outer walls were made of off-white stucco that complimented the light brown of the roof. The door was a simple wooden door with decorative iron hinges and was framed by the ivy that had crept up the outside of the cottage on one side. It was no mansion, but it was large for a cottage in the woods.

The area surrounding the little abode was filled to the brim with color. There were flowers of all shapes and sizes in well-maintained clumps. There was a stone bench in a little clearing and a masonry well that looked like it had been pulled straight out of Disney's Snow White.

It looked like they had just landed in the middle of a fairytale.

Rose was so surprised at the new and strange surroundings that her thinking fell to silence within her head. She completely forgot the past two days as she spun around. All the while, Crowley watched her with a smile on his face.

"What on Earth is this? Since when did you get a cottage in the woods? It looks like a damn fairytale!" Rose couldn't help but laugh - even if it was just a small one.

"Since last month." The demon replied, his smile growing.

"Last month?" Rose spun to face him, head tilted and brows raised.

"Yes, that's what I said." Rose only laughed. "What?"

"Nothing." Rose grinned, all of her sadness melting away for the time being. Without glancing at Crowley, she strode towards the little door. She watched the flowers as she walked by them.

Once in the house, she froze to gawk at the interior. If she thought the outside looked like a fairytale, the inside only confirmed it.

The front doorway led directly into what Rose assumed was a living room. There was a masonry fireplace along the back wall, a window on either side. The windows were dressed with the simplest white linen. A lush, antique sofa was placed several feet from the fireplace and a rug between them. It was a darker shade of the Crayola color 'sea foam green' faded from years of sunlight. It was embroidered with intricate designs of huge, deeply red roses. On top of the rug was a coffee table that looked about the same age as the sofa. There were several other surfaces scattered around the room with the same style and age as the other furniture.

As Rose wandered through the house - through the dining room, kitchen, the study already filled with paperwork, the bathrooms, the bedrooms, even a small library and a little window nook in the hallway with a bench built into it - she noticed that all of the furniture matched the style and age of the furniture in the living room. It was all antique furniture. All the same, worn but beautiful deep brown. All of the curtains were the same basic and soft white linen. The wooden floors looked well traversed yet so well taken care of. The walls were nearly the same shade as the curtains. The hallways were wide, and even though the cottage was small, it felt enormous.

There wasn't a modern thing in the house - save for the plumbing and electricity - which surprised Rose even more than the location of the cottage. Crowley loved spoiling himself. He spared no expense when it came to material possessions. He always had to have the finest things available. She had no idea why he would have bought up a little cottage in the woods and filled it with antique furniture that may very well have come from the time period when he was still human. It was such a simple little place with simple little furnishings. Even the bedding was simple linens. Though they were incredibly soft and welcoming, they weren't the usual satin or high-thread-count Egyptian cotton he enjoyed.

Rose was still grinning absentmindedly when she wandered back to Crowley. He had settled in by the fireplace with a glass of Craig in his hands, allowing her to explore and be free of thought.

"Since when do you like this sort of stuff?" Rose laughed again, then plopped down beside him on the sofa. Crowley gave no answer, but took another sip of his drink instead. Rose rolled her eyes and settled on looking at the view outside the window.

That was when she noticed the planter boxes outside. Each window had them. Not just the ones by the fireplace, but each window in the entire house. Each box was full of the most lush and lively red flowers she had ever seen.

They were full of roses.

Her smile was quickly exchanged for a slack jaw. "Roses…"

"What about you, Flower?" Crowley smirked with amusement.

"Roses….in the planter boxes…." She turned back to Crowley. "You got this place last month. After your addiction. Your….damn humanity."

She barked a soft laugh.

"Guilty as charged." Crowley waved his glass, then took another sip. "I thought you might like it. You always said you were taken by the idea of a cottage in the woods."

"You sentimental idiot." She smiled again and shook her head.

"Are you saying you don't? I can always exchange it for a mansion in the countryside."

"Don't you dare. This place is gorgeous." She couldn't resist hugging him anymore, so she all but threw herself onto him. "I love it."

Crowley chuckled and returned the embrace. "I'm glad, Flower."

When Rose's laughter died down, she still didn't let go. He was warm and comforting. For a fleeting moment, she was reminded of a giant teddy bear. He may as well have been one. That human blood had done a number on him. He was certainly still a ruthless ruler, but with Rose….he had only gotten more and more caring by the day.

Before his addiction, he had a particular interest in her. She fascinated him. He spoiled her and took care of her the best and only ways a demon could. But for the last few months, he had taken to catering to her emotional side. He bought her things with sentimental value - things he recalled her having a fondness for. He even had the patience to watch her favorite movies with her. He even bought an entire cottage in the woods, complete with the surrounding forest.

"So what exactly is going on with you?" Rose asked, still enjoying the warm embrace.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean...everything lately. I get that blood did a number on you, but….Queen of Hell? Where did that come from?" Rose had more confidence in her voice than she did many hours before when they attempted to discuss his statement.

"Back to this, are we?" Crowley set his empty glass down on the little table beside him.

"Well it was...what do you expect me to do? Act like you never said it?" Rose shifted in her spot on the couch. "Is it all that human blood screwing with you?"

Crowley sighed. He hadn't exactly had much time to think about it or come up with a reasonable explanation. It had just spilled out of his mouth. He wasn't entirely sure where it came from either.

He sighed again. After the day he had, he couldn't lie to her. He couldn't come up with a bullshit excuse for his words. No, she deserved a straight answer.

Damn. What had happened to the heartless demon he used to be? He hadn't even felt this emotional or sentimental when he was human! In fact, he had never felt the way he did when he was with Rose.

"To be honest," He almost flinched at his own words. "I don't know. I just...said it. And I don't regret it. Not even for a second."

Rose sat up to look at him. Her arms were still loosely wrapped around him, and his around her. "So you made a human the Queen of Hell and you have no idea why?"

"Precisely." His trademark smirk was absent. For a moment, Rose thought she was dreaming and was tempted to pinch herself awake.

But if it was a dream, it was certainly a good one. Certainly better than the nightmare she had just experienced.

"You and that damn humanity." Rose felt a small smile creeping up on her face as she leaned up and kissed the King of Hell.

When she pulled back, a new and strangely saddening thought occurred to her. "How long can you stay?"

His answer was to raise his eyebrows with his own silent question.

"You're fully King of Hell again. You've got work to get done." Her tone was somber. It pained Crowley to hear her like that. She was going to miss him - or at least his company.

So he kissed her again. "Hell can wait one more night."

Rose's worries and pains melted away with another kiss. One more kiss and they were headed upstairs to the quaint master bedroom. Another kiss and they were on the bed.

For the whole night, Rose was free of her thoughts. Free of the silence that haunted her. Free for now.

* * *

**Well this has been a rollercoaster and a half. Just wait until you see what else is in store for poor Rose! I swear I'm not evil...**

**Anywho, the emotions are only on hold for this one chapter. They all return in Chapter 10, so hold on to your hats.**

**On a slightly happier note, once I think up a decent name for it, I'll start posting my collection of oneshots for Rose and Crowley! Some of the unanswered questions will suddenly make sense after reading said oneshots, so there's that to look forward to. I also have a plot bunny or two floating around that might get uploaded at some point. If you're interested, just keep an eye on my profile!**

**Also, in case you were wondering, I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters. I only own Rose and the things her presence changes.**


	10. Chapter 10

_For a moment, Rose thought she was dreaming and was tempted to pinch herself awake._

_But if it was a dream, it was certainly a good one. Certainly better than the nightmare she had just experienced._

_For the whole night, Rose was free of her thoughts. Free of the silence that haunted her. Free for now._

* * *

**CHAPTER TEN**

**In which everyone does a lot of brooding**

(Written to: The Veil of Night (Live) from Professor Layton and the Curious Village)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=hvKPflvOYuI#22_-_The_Veil_of_Night_(Live)_%5BProfessor_Layton_and_the_Curious_Village_Soundtrack%5D

* * *

When Rose woke up, still buried in the simple linens on the simple bed in the simple little bedroom, she was thrown right back into her nightmare of reality. The silence was deafening to her mind. It all came back to her the moment she opened her eyes. All the pain and sadness and anger came flooding back.

She vaguely remembered Crowley waking her just before sunrise, telling her that he had gotten an urgent call and had some damage control to attend to. But now the sun was pouring into the room and Rose was alone with her thoughts.

It took a great deal of mental effort to pull herself from the comfort of the soft bedding. She threw her legs over the edge and the blankets back, then reached for her phone. Sure enough, there were five missed calls and two new voicemails.

The first was from Sam. Being fraternal twins, Sam and Rose had a deeper connection than either of them had with Dean. They were more often than not on the same page about most things. They had grown up the same way with the same circumstances and the same attitude about hunting and family. They understood each other better than Dean could. It drove the eldest sibling insane to no end, but he was grateful for Rose's insight when Sam left for Stanford and for Sam's insight when Rose left for Chicago.

So naturally, Sam had been the first to call.

The second message was - of course - from Dean. Dean had only called once compared to the four times Sam had tried to reach his sister. Dean understood when someone needed space, but he also couldn't shake the protective older brother persona. If his baby sister was hurting, no doubt he was beating himself up over it and worried to no end. Of course this time, it really had been his fault. He was the one that made the decision to keep Rose in the dark about everything. His reasons seemed noble enough, but they were also fueled by the betrayal he felt when she abandoned her family. But it didn't take him long to see that he had really messed up this time.

After a minute of deliberation, Rose decided that listening to the messages probably couldn't do more harm than had already been done. So she tapped on the screen a few times then held it to her ear.

Sam's voice droned through the small speaker. "_Rose, I know the last thing you want right now is to talk to us. We had no right keeping that stuff from you. You can handle yourself, I know. Believe me, you've kicked my ass plenty of times to prove your point. We just….we thought we were doing something good for you - letting you have a normal life. I had one for three years and….well I won't say it was the best thing that happened to me, but it was nice to not have to worry about that stuff all the time. Dean and I…..we just wanted you to be happy. You're right, we should have told you. No apology in the world is going to make up for that…...but….just try to get where we're coming from? And give us a call or something. Or at least text us. Let us know you're okay."_

With a small sniff, Sam's voice fell silent, and the message ended.

Dean's voice was the next thing to echo from her phone. "_I don't expect you to forgive me any time soon. I messed up. Big time."_ Dean gave a small huff of a laugh. "_You were right. Kind of. I _was _pissed that you left. We're your family, Rose. You don't just walk out on family. But when we came to visit you….you looked so happy. I hadn't seen you smile like that since….god...before we told you the truth about all the shit in the world."_ Rose heard a small sniff though the phone. "_So yeah, I was pissed. You abandoned us. But you were happy. I couldn't just take that away from you. I already did that to Sammy, and I wasn't gonna do it again to you."_

There was another huff of laughter. "_Damn...listen to me spilling like a girl."_ He cleared his throat. Rose could picture him trying to shake the emotions off like they were bugs. "_Listen, you call us and let us know you're okay, then you can do whatever you want with your life and we won't keep you in the dark anymore. If you even still wanna talk to us after this. Just...take care of yourself. And don't let that dickbag boy toy of your's push you around._"

The message ended.

Rose sniffed and threw her phone aside. Her body followed suit and fell back against the cushioning of the bed. She was wrong. That made it worse. So much worse. But at least she hadn't been overwhelmed by her thoughts for a good few minutes.

It hit her all at once. The tears she hadn't shed came pouring from her eyes. A good day's worth of tears streamed down her face and on to the bedding in one great waterfall. Her abdomen shook with convulsive sobs. Her mouth parted with each gut-wrenching sob, silently screaming in pain.

It was true what they said about emotional pain being felt as physical pain. Her entire body was aching. Her gut felt like it had been through two stomach bugs and a tapeworm, not to mention the period cramps starting to come back. Her night with Crowley had numbed the pain well enough to let her sleep, but now she was alone and it hit her like a semi going 90 miles an hour.

The bedding around her was soaking up what her face and brunette hair didn't. Her eyes stung like she had been staring at the sun for ten minutes and her face was tense with the quick-drying salt water it was being doused in. Her silent screams turned into whimpers of desperation.

She had never cried like this before. All her anger, sadness, hurt, betrayal, guilt, and whatever other negative emotions she might have been keeping bottled up were all bubbling out of her in shaking, salty, painful sobs.

* * *

On the way back from the angel crime scene, the Winchester brothers and their angel buddy had stopped at a bustling truck-stop diner for some food. Cas had opted to wait in the car with the evidence while the boys got their meal.

Neither of them had said much since their conversation with Rose. They both seemed to be avoiding the inevitable. Sooner or later, they would have to discuss their new gameplan with Rose and Crowley, but at the moment they would much rather sit in brooding silence than talk about how they betrayed their own sister.

After what the pain they caused her, neither Sam nor Dean were exactly eager to talk about their plan to kill Crowley. If the two of them actually liked each other more than just fuck-buddies, then how could they kill him and let Rose suffer even more at their hands? But how could they just let Crowley get off scot-free? He had to pay for tricking them - more than once, they might add. Perhaps they should just give it a little more time…

"Think we should try calling Crowley?" Sam asked, mid-bite.

Dean glanced up at his little brother. "For what?"

"See if Rose is okay." Sam answered quietly. He didn't exactly like the idea either, but he wanted to be sure his twin was okay.

Dean sighed and put his burger back on the plate before him. "He's got Hell stuff to do. I'm sure he's busy and Rose is fine. If I recall, you didn't exactly want to talk to me right away after I told you about me and her sneaking out for ice cream all the time when you were asleep."

"That was different. That was ice cream, not six years of some pretty important stuff." Sam scoffed.

"It's close enough. You were nine. Ice cream was your life." Sam rolled his eyes in response. "Look, my point is Rose is gonna need time to cool off, then she'll be back on her feet and beating us into the ground before you know it."

"Don't you think we should at least check up on her?"

"And piss off Crowley? I'd rather not." Dean retorted, picking up his food again - only to have his phone go off. So with a sigh, he put the burger back down and fished his phone out his pocket.

Upon seeing the sender, he muttered: "Speak of the devil. Literally."

That caught Sam's attention. He snapped up from his food to look at his older brother with his eyebrows knit together.

"He wants to meet. Told him to just show up here." Dean explained somewhat ominously.

"Great." Sam sighed.

Not seconds later, Crowley walked in and sat beside Dean. His natural charisma and trademark mischievous smirk had been exchanged for a rather intense air of bitterness and a scowl. He was not happy in the least. For a moment, the boys were actually concerned for their safety. It had been a while since Crowley had been this furious with them.

"I don't exactly have a lot of free time, so I'll make this quick. You two are done protecting Rose. That's my job now, the same way it has been for the past four years."

Dean's mouth gaped open as he began to reply.

"Ah, ah, I wasn't finished, Squirrel." Crowley cut him off. Castiel (who had noticed Crowley entering the diner) all but slammed the door open and stormed over to the booth, taking a seat beside Sam. "You've done a bang up job so far considering that she's more likely to run for President than she is to forgive you. So let me make one thing clear-" Crowley leaned forward in his seat, his glare burning holes in each of the boys' heads. "You so much as go near her without her permission, you will pay a price worse than death."

Sam swallowed hard and exchanged a somewhat confused and concerned glance with his older brother.

"You can't make that decision without Rose. Sam and Dean are her brothers. They-" Cas was cut off by the seething demon sitting across from him.

"Some brothers they've been." He turned to Sam and Dean. "Consider yourselves warned."

As Crowley moved to leave, Sam called out: "Wait! At least tell us how Rose is."

For a fleeting second, Sam wished he hadn't said anything. Crowley looked ready to lunge across the table and rip the moose's head from his body. If anything, the human blood still somewhere in his veins had made him even more terrifying.

"You mean other than partially catatonic and debating slaughtering the lot of you?" Dean visibly winced. When no one replied to his indignant rhetorical question, Crowley added: "She's having some rest and relaxation in the French countryside. Nothing to worry about. Except, of course, her fury. The next time she sees you, she'll probably rip your beating hearts from your chests with her bare hands. So I'd watch my back if I were you."

Before anyone else could get in a word, Crowley stormed out of the diner and was gone.

Dean sighed and ran a hand over his face. He mumbled more to himself than his brother and the angel across from him: "Well, shit."

"Perhaps it wasn't the wisest idea to hide such things from Rose." Castiel offered somewhat quietly.

"No. No, it was not, Cas." Sam replied just as quietly.

* * *

Rose had stopped crying at least an hour ago, but she was still laying on the bed. Her body hadn't budged one inch and her face was so tense from the salty tears that she was concerned she might not be able to move it anymore.

Her mind was racing again after recovering from its temporary numbness. For the third time since she heard it, she was trying to piece together everything her brothers had told her. How had she remained so oblivious? Her brothers came to visit her relatively often, but apparently not often enough. She figured it didn't help that she rarely drove down to Bobby's to visit them.

According to them, Chicago had almost been wiped off the map once or twice. Rose had pieced together that it more or less overlapped with the little vacations she went on. An old hunter buddy would call her every now and then and ask her to visit them for a weekend or two. It always took a little convincing, but she would go when she got a call. Now Rose was beginning to realize that her brothers must have set that all up just to get her out. Part of her was thankful for them continuing to keep her safe, but the majority of her mind was even more frustrated. Why couldn't they have just called and told her to get out of town?

Well….she probably wouldn't have listened. She would have stuck around and tried to help them, which would have defeated their whole purpose of not telling her things.

Then there was the matter of Castiel. He wasn't exactly known for his understanding of secret-keeping or human conventions. Granted he didn't exactly pop in for a visit every time Sam or Dean did, but somehow he had kept his cakehole shut about everything. Perhaps that's why he never seemed terribly talkative around her.

There was also the fact that both Sam and Dean had died. Multiple times. In even less time than it took her to figure out her vacations were all setups, Rose figured out that there were no solo hunts for the boys. There were times that Sam or Dean would come to her place alone and spend an extended amount of time crashing in her guest room. They always told her the two of them were on solo hunts. Rose had noticed how 'off' they had seemed during those visits - like they were seeking some form of comfort by spending a full week with her, moping about and drinking all of her alcohol.

In some form of fairness, Rose had done a damn good job keeping Crowley under their radars. And for that matter, kept her brothers off Crowley's radar. Sure, she hadn't exactly been the best about sharing that information with any of them, but she didn't lie about it. And in her defense, she accurately assumed that they would be at each other's throats the second anyone found out. Although, it honestly had never occurred to her that she failed to tell Crowley her last name - even when he shared his life story with her.

In the end, it came down to luck. Pure luck that Rose hadn't found out a single thing. She had known about Crowley's side of the events surrounding Purgatory. Hell, he even hid out at her place after he faked his death (which she now knew was Castiel's attempt at burning his bones). She had also heard his version of the Leviathans and the prophet hunting (which she had _not_ endorsed in any way). She had been there for nearly his entire addiction.

But she never once thought her brothers might be involved. Crowley never mentioned the 'damn Winchester brothers' and they never mentioned having anything past a brush with the King of Hell.

Rose was beating herself up about the whole mess just as badly as she was itching to beat up her brothers. She should have picked up on things. She should have put two and two together so much sooner. Had her time off really made her _that_ rusty? What sort of hunter was she if she couldn't even figure out the Apocalypse was happening? Death had been in Chicago for pity's sake! Lucifer had roamed the Earth and the archangels had an odd love for the Winchester family.

How had she not noticed? How had she not been pulled into it sooner? How had she been so oblivious?

* * *

**Now that I've written a few chapters into the future, it'll be a bit until the Winchesters have a little family reunion. I thought I would be able to tie up all the loose ends in this chapter, but that just felt too rushed to me.**

**On the other hand, somewhat in honor of the 10th chapter of A Rose By Any Other Name, I will be posting the oneshot series today! It is so poetically called 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn.' So if you're interested in their backstory and some fluff, go check it out!**

**In case you were unaware, I do not own Supernatural, its characters or its plot. I only own Marian Rose Winchester and the things that she changes.**


	11. Chapter 11

_But she never once thought her brothers might be involved. Crowley never mentioned the 'damn Winchester brothers' and they never mentioned having anything past a brush with the King of Hell._

_Rose was beating herself up about the whole mess just as badly as she was itching to beat up her brothers. She should have picked up on things. She should have put two and two together so much sooner. Had her time off really made her that rusty? What sort of hunter was she if she couldn't even figure out the Apocalypse was happening? Death had been in Chicago for pity's sake! Lucifer had roamed the Earth and the archangels had an odd love for the Winchester family._

_How had she not noticed? How had she not been pulled into it sooner? How had she been so oblivious?_

* * *

**CHAPTER ELEVEN**

**In which Rose makes her decision**

(Written to: Unwavering Emotions from Pokemon Black&amp;White(2))

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=XPe3IqKTcrM#Pokemon_Black_and_White%2F_Black_2_and_White_2-_Unwavering_Emotions_%5BEXTENDED%5D

* * *

"Rose?"

"Up here."

Crowley made his way upstairs to find Rose curled up on the window seat in the hallway with a laptop and a book sprawled across her lap. She must have gone exploring while he was gone, and by the contents in her possession, he knew exactly where she had been.

"How's Hell?" Rose asked her lips tugging up at the phrase that had just spilled out of her mouth like it was an everyday question. In her case, it actually was.

"Hell-ish. You know how demons are, love." Crowley adjusted his suit pants so he could sit at her feet. She had been sitting sideways on the window seat with her feet propped up. Upon Crowley's return home, she pulled her feet closer to her in order to give him room.

"Do I wanna know?" While there was a hint of humor in her voice, Rose's posture was anything but.

Crowley offered an impish smirk. "Probably not."

He ran a hand along Rose's leg absentmindedly. "Although, I did learn how Abaddon found you."

"Oh?" Rose tore her eyes away from the book she was buried in to watch the King of Hell.

"The cashier at the gas station was one of her's." His smirk faded. "Otherwise you wouldn't have had a problem."

"Dammit….I should have noticed…." Rose's head leaned back and against the wall behind her. Staring at the ceiling in self-loathing. "Maybe six years did make me rusty after all…."

"Stop." Rose snapped her attention back to the demon beside her. "Pitying yourself will get you nowhere. You're safe now. No amount of self-loathing will change the past."

Rose tilted her head and watched him. That was an awfully….new thing for him to say. "Are we still talking about the same thing here or….?"

Crowley didn't give an answer. He turned his attention from the girl staring him down to the book in her hands. From the laptop she had sitting beside her, he knew she had been in the little office he made for himself in the cottage. So naturally, the book she was holding was the one that had been on his desk. He figured she would explore and that his office wouldn't be safe from her prying eyes, so he had taken precautions and _not_ hidden anything important there.

"How's the book, Flower?" He asked with raised brows and a mocking smirk.

Rose scoffed a laugh. Of course he knew where she had been and just what book she was reading. But nevertheless, she couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

"Actually, it's making a lot of sense now." Rose huffed. "I should've figured it out sooner. All of those books sitting out at the Bunker had one thing in common: that stupid story about Cain."

She leaned her head against the wall again and closed her eyes. She used to be so observant - so on top of everything. Now she was playing catch-up in a major way. She needed to be on her game again.

"What do you know about it?" Rose asked without opening her eyes.

"Enough."

"I know you. I know you're hiding stuff from Dean about it. So spill. I wanna hear it."

Crowley sighed. "I don't think you do, love."

Rose peeled her eyes open to glare at him. "See now that only makes me worry more. You really think I'm gonna let you get away with not telling me? After the day I had yesterday…."

Rose trailed off. There was no need to finish that statement.

Crowley ground in jaw in deliberation. He didn't want to tell her. He couldn't. Shouldn't. But she was right. After the day she had yesterday, he couldn't very well keep it from her. Shouldn't keep it from her. But that wasn't going to stop him from dancing around it. Either way, she would get hurt. He couldn't do that to her. He didn't _want_ her to hurt.

"Is it really that bad?" Rose's shoulders fell. Still no answer. "Then at least start with what this Mark can do."

Crowley nodded half-committedly. "The First Blade can kill anything. Anyone. But it requires the Mark of Cain to work. Without it, the blade just a useless jawbone."

"So Dean got the Mark from Cain because he wouldn't give it to you?" Crowley nodded. "Why not?"

"He wouldn't deem me worthy," was the only answer Rose got.

"So this Mark makes anything killable. What's the downside?"

Crowley swallowed hard, pausing mid-stroke before continuing to run his hand over her legs. "That's where it gets….unpleasant."

The brunette raised a brow. "Go on."

"The mark needs to be fed. If it's not…..let's just say things are less than pleasant for the bearer."

"In English, please. Like I'm five."

Crowley sighed before explaining. "Your brother needs to kill for the Mark or the Mark will kill him."

Rose threw her head back against the wall, not bothering to register the smack of pain she felt afterwards. "Great. So Dean either gets to be a mass-murderer or a dead-man-walking."

"Something like that," Crowley muttered, turning away from Rose again.

They sat like that for another ten silent minutes. Rose's legs were in Crowley's lap, and he continued to absentmindedly run his hand along them. Both of their minds were racing in the silence.

"Are you planning on staying here long?" He asked quietly, trying to play the question of as nonchalant.

Unfortunately, he failed miserably. Rose cocked an eyebrow again. She was tempted to laugh. "You tryin' to kick me out of the house you got for _me_?"

"Of course not, Flower. Just...wondering if you had any intention of resuming your life in Chicago." Crowley didn't make eye contact with her. In fact, he took great interest on a freckle beside Rose's ankle.

"Not for a while." Rose sighed. "Why? Got some hot date you wanna bring home?"

Crowley chuckled. "I already did, love."

Rose couldn't help but smile. "So why the rush to get me home?"

Crowley sighed. "I may or may not have set Gavin up in the apartment next to your's."

"And you want me to be there to keep an eye on him?" Surprisingly, her smile didn't fade. In fact, it grew. She was somewhat flattered.

"It's not like I trust any demons to watch out for the boy." Crowley at last made eye contact with the woman beside him.

"So then just bring him here for a bit." Rose shrugged as if the solution was really that simple.

Pursing his lips and giving her his trademark eyebrow lift and non-committal head tilt, he huffed. "I don't think he would take to kindly to me showing up again."

"And him finding out I'm his next-door neighbor is any better?" He had no reply to that. He would never admit it, but she was right - as she often was. Rose shook her head, biting back a small laugh. "Give me his phone number and I'll talk to him about it. He does….have a phone, right?"

"Do you think I would abandon the boy in a big city with no knowledge of technology and without any resources?" Rose snickered at that. Before his addiction, he certainly would have. "Yes, yes, alright, I get it. I'm going soft."

Rose smiled and punched him lightly on the arm. "It's a good soft."

"If you insist." Then in a blink, Rose's cell phone was in his hand, having appeared from thin air. Crowley hurriedly typed in his son's phone number, then returned the phone to its owner. "Let me know how it goes."

"I'll kinda have to, seeing as how you're the chauffeur." Crowley barked a laugh. Well, she wasn't wrong.

"I have to head back now. I just wanted to make sure you were alright." Crowley announced, gingerly removing Rose's legs from his lap. He stood and took a step closer to the girl. He leaned down and gave her a kiss.

"Try not to get into too much trouble." Rose gave a smirk.

"No promises, love." Then with a wink, Crowley was gone.

Rose sighed and turned back to her book. The page she was on had a little illustration of Lucifer giving Cain his mark. The page went on to talk about how Cain was unstoppable and even unkillable himself, as the Mark would not let him die. It talked about how the Mark could only be passed on to someone 'worthy' of it - someone like Cain.

But what exactly did 'worthy' entail? Being a killer? Betraying siblings? Lord knows Dean had done enough of that in his time…..

Rose shook her head. No, there had to be to it than that. There was some cryptic message hidden the scarce words. Cain killed his brother. He was the father of murder itself. That's who Cain was. So someone worthy of the Mark must have been just as important and twisted as that.

If Rose wasn't still so upset with her brothers, she might have been more concerned about Dean's well-being. She was still concerned, but not as concerned as she should have been. The Mark was going to kill Dean. Sam would never let him turn into a psycho-murderer, so that was Dean's only option: die. But the book said the Mark wouldn't let Cain die. So was the book right, or was Crowley?

Crowley seemed….almost apprehensive the way he spoke about the Mark and the First Blade. If Rose didn't know any better, she might say he seemed nervous.

Rose's eyes shot wide open. No. He _was_ nervous. The First Blade could kill anything and _anyone_. Crowley and her brothers had an awful history. Dean already had plans to take out a Knight of Hell and an angel-turned-god. Who's to say he wasn't going to go after the King of Hell?

"Dammit…." Rose muttered to herself, throwing her head back again. She couldn't let that happen. She had to do something.

Her eyes fell to the illustration again. Rose couldn't let her brothers kill Crowley. She wouldn't let him die. He was the only one that hadn't flat out lied to her. Sure, he didn't tell her everything, but he never lied to her. He was the only one she trusted anymore. She had to protect him. She had to do something.

"He's gonna kill me….."

* * *

**This chapter is a bit short, but to make up for it, the next one is going to be longer than usual. The suspense is actually killing me, and I'm the one writing this. I like to write far enough into the future so I have a vision for what's going to happen in the story, so I'm several chapters ahead of this and the suspense of uploading new chapters is slowly killing me. I am so sorry (not really).**

**Just in case you weren't aware, I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters or plots. I only own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that her existence changes.**


	12. Chapter 12

_Her eyes fell to the illustration again. Rose couldn't let her brothers kill Crowley. She wouldn't let him die. He was the only one that hadn't flat out lied to her. Sure, he didn't tell her everything, but he never lied to her. He was the only one she trusted anymore. She had to protect him. She had to do something._

_"He's gonna kill me….."_

* * *

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

**In which everyone can't stop thinking**

(Written to: Bedtime by Alan Menken from The Little Mermaid)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=-UQsECA7RZU#Bedtime_(score)_-_The_Little_Mermaid_OST

* * *

It had been a long time since she had sat outside just to be outside, but Rose was most definitely enjoying sitting on the stone bench in the garden. The setting sun was warming her face and the light breeze was playfully tugging at her hair. The aroma of the surrounding flowers calmed Rose's every nerve. It wasn't terribly warm, but it was a comfortable temperature, and Rose was loving every second of just relaxing outside.

In truth, she wasn't out there just to be out there. She was waiting for Gavin. She had spoken to him over the phone (a conversation that was equally if not more trying than explaining demons to him) and he eventually agreed to spending time with her in the little cottage. Rose was more than glad of the company and she was looking forward to getting to know him a bit better. Their previous meeting had been on less than lovely circumstances, so this little vacation she found herself on was what she thought might be the perfect way to spend time with Crowley's son.

Rose couldn't help but smile while she waited. She felt awfully anxious. This was her lover's son, after all. It was bound to be somewhat awkward, and it didn't help that Gavin thought of her as his stepmother - which only made Rose laugh. What a thought that was…..her and the King of Hell married. Married!

Although….she was apparently the Queen of Hell now. That alone was an odd form of….bonding? Binding? Commitment? A marriage in its own way?

"Where exactly did you say this place was? Or...when?" Gavin's thick Scottish accent surprised Rose. Of course they had to go and appear where she wasn't looking.

"Modern day France," was Crowley's rough reply. He must have had a field day explaining this to Gavin when he went to retrieve him.

"Hello Gavin." Rose smiled and wasted no time in rushing over to hug the boy.

"Hello Rose!" Gavin beamed, thankful for a familiar face at last. His two days in the modern city of Chicago had been an adventure to say the least.

"Well someone's chipper." Crowley mused.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Well, I do happen to be feeling better, thank you. Not as set on beating Sam and Dean to death. For the moment."

Crowley offered a small smile of relief - which was a new feeling in and of itself. Nevertheless, he didn't bother wasting his thoughts on the strange feeling. Instead, he gave Rose a kiss, then looked between his Queen and his son.

"You two be good. I don't want to get a call saying you've thrown some wild party while I'm away." Crowley smirked. "You can save that for when I get back."

"Of course, dear." Rose shook her head with her lips pursed in a smile. "How's work?"

"Peachy. Need anything before I head back?"

"No, we should be fine." Rose pecked his cheek with a little kiss, then led Gavin inside.

Crowley watched the pair head indoors, a smile growing on his face. For the first time in his entire life, he had a family. A real family. Family was something he had mulled over quite a lot during his addiction. In a way, he envied Sam and Dean for having each other at the end of the day. Having a familial bond that couldn't be broken. Having someone to care for and to care for you.

Crowley had never had anything like that. At a young age, he learned the hard way that the only person that could take care of himself was, well, himself. He couldn't rely on other people. That attitude usually earned him others' hatred. No one cared enough to pay him any more mind than the dirt beneath their shoes. So when Rose had taken him in that night nearly five years ago now, he had no idea what to do. She took care of him, knowing full well what and who he was. It was new and fascinating and strange. No one ever cared about him, yet somehow she did.

He had never asked her about it. Perhaps he should. A lot of questions were being asked lately. A lot of questions neither of them really had the answer to. The new humanity in him stirred so many things up - things that neither Rose nor himself would have thought about if he hadn't binged on human blood. There were so many questions swimming in both their minds.

But there she was, getting to know his son. From the moment she saw him, she had cared about him and taken care of him. That's who she was. Rose was by all means an excellent hunter and fighter, but she had the most confusing and wonderful instinct to nurture. With Gavin, it was apparent that she was oddly maternal for never having an example to learn from. That was one of the things Crowley loved most about her.

Loved? Did he love her? A human? A Winchester, no less! Perhaps he did. Perhaps that's what all the emotions drowning him were. Love. For the plain but extraordinarily beautiful young woman he would give everything for. Honestly, it terrified him as much as it excited him.

Just as Crowley was about to leave, Rose ran back outside. "Crowley! Wait!"

His eyebrows raised in question. "What's the matter, Flower?"

She came to a halt just a few feet in front of the demon. "You….haven't run into Sam or Dean, right?"

"Actually, I did. They wanted to know how you were."

Rose bit back the shock she felt rising in her throat. "You shouldn't. See them, I mean."

Crowley stuffed his hands in his overcoat pockets. "Exactly where is this coming from, love?"

"I just…." Rose sighed. Her gaze flickered around, then settled on the demon. Her shoulders fell. "I don't want you to get hurt and God knows what they might do to you."

Crowley couldn't help but smile. He removed his hands from his pockets and drew her into a tight hug. "Don't worry about me, love. I'll be just fine. I'm a big boy, you know."

"I'm still gonna worry," Rose muttered from the depths of Crowley's jacket.

"Well, I wouldn't expect anything different, even if there's no need to." He chuckled. Rose melted easily into his embrace. It was a welcome feeling after her meltdown earlier that day. She needed it more than he knew.

"If it will make you feel any better, I won't spend more time around them than I must."

Rose huffed a smile. "Alright. Just be careful."

"I always am." Crowley gave her one last kiss before backing away to leave.

With a small smile still present on her face, Rose called out: "Try not to get into too much trouble."

"No promises." He winked, then was gone.

Rose sighed and her smile drooped. He had to be okay. He would be okay.

"Rose? Where exactly is the food? I'm famished!" Gavin poked his head through the doorway.

So she put on another smile, then ambled inside to put dinner together.

* * *

"Abaddon is dead."

"And then some." Sam muttered in reply.

Castiel glanced out the window. "Oh no."

"Okay." Sam huffed a laugh of uncertainty. "Um...Ominous."

"Does Dean seem different to you?" Cas looked over to Sam to gauge his reaction.

He nodded. "Yeah. Lately, he seems to be….amped up - you know, on edge. About everything."

"Effects of the Mark?"

"What else?"

Opting for the scenery going by, Castiel spoke his worried thoughts. "He does seem angry. I mean, he's always a little angry, but now it seems like...more. I think a part of him actually believed that I ordered those angels to...you know…" He turned to the driver. "Sam, you don't, do you?"

"No, man." Sam shook his head as much as he could without losing focus on the road before him. "Cas, listen. You got a weird thing going on back there. Those other angels, the way they stare at you...i-it's like you're part rockstar part L. Ron."

The angel continued to stare out the windshield before him. "They've put their faith in me."

"And maybe that's the problem. I mean, people have been doing messed up crap in the name of faith - in the name of God - since...forever."

"Well….I'm not trying to...play God." Castiel couldn't help but be reminded of his stunt with the souls from Purgatory. He was trying so hard to redeem himself. He was tired of being reminded of all of that. He didn't want to be God, and he was ashamed that he had done that in the first place. He just wanted to be an angel again. A regular, order-taking angel and spend time with the family he found in the Winchesters. "I'm just trying to get my people home."

Sam took a deep breath and nodded through it. "I know."

After a brief, silent moment, Castiel spoke up. "Have you heard from Rose?"

The youngest Winchester sighed. "No. That's what worries me. She has a...temper the size of the sun. When she's pissed, she lets everyone know. She should be calling non-stop just to yell at us."

"Do you think something's happened to her?"

"No...the way Crowley came after us...I don't think she's in any trouble."

"Then she'll come around at some point. You three always do."

Sam ran an anxious hand through his hair and tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "This is new territory. For all of us. I've seen her mad before, but she's never gone….catatonic. Either her time off changed her a lot or….we might never hear from her again."

"That's highly unlikely. You're family."

"Rose doesn't really have the same view on family that Dean does. I don't think anyone has the same view on family that Dean does. Dean, he….I don't even know how to explain. He just has this notion that family is all he's got. Rose has always seen more. She was the one who gave me the idea to go to school in the first place. Hell, when Dad went missing, it took a lot to convince her that we needed to keep looking for him."

He sighed. Cas watched him, listening intently. He had always noticed that Dean and his sister clashed on a particular level.

"My point is, Rose isn't gonna come back purely because we're family. She's got this….thing about lying. While Dean relies on family, Rose relies on truth. It's almost ironic….." Sam muttered the last part as an afterthought. She was with a demon. They aren't exactly known for their honesty.

"You don't think she'll come around?"

"Honestly, I have no clue. We screwed up big time and it's gonna take a lot more than a few apologies to make it up to her."

Cas nodded absentmindedly, his own mind beginning to race. "What do you plan to do then? To make it up to her?"

Sam had no response. He had no idea. He felt absolutely awful about what they did to her, but he knew she wasn't going to listen to their excuses or apologies. Their words didn't exactly mean a whole lot to her at the moment.

If they were going to have any chance of her forgiving them, they needed to do something huge. Not anything sappy like buying her things or giving her a whole boatload of her own crazy hunts. No, it had to be serious and major. Like sell their souls serious.

Selling their souls….to a demon.

"What if…" Sam swallowed hard. He could not believe what he was about to say. "What if we let Crowley live?"

In typical Cas-fashion, Castiel squinted his eyes in thought.

"I mean….if Rose is really into him and she...trusts-" Sam tripped on the word. "him...then it would be pretty cruel of us to kill him. After all the crap he's pulled on us, we let him live for Rose."

Cas nodded. "I can't say I enjoy the thought of letting him off so easily...but I think that might be the only option if Rose is ever going to forgive you. Us."

* * *

"You're awfully quiet. Something botherin' you?"

"It's...a bit complicated." Rose stuffed another forkful of chicken parmesan into her mouth.

"Well, I can't promise I'll understand all of it, but I'll try." Gavin offered a smile. Rose envied how happy he was. His whole life had been flipped on its head, yet he couldn't stop smiling.

She sighed, took another bite, then searched for the simplest words she could find to explain her situation.

"You remember what I told you about leaving Sam and Dean to live in Chicago?"

"Your brothers? Yeah. What about them?" Gavin tilted his head as he ate and listened.

"Well...when you and your father left that hotel room….I learned that they lied to me for six years about some pretty important stuff. Life or death kinda stuff." Rose swallowed hard, her food going with it.

"Oh." Gavin muttered. He let his hand and fork rest on the table, not going for another bite. "I'm sorry."

Rose scoffed a laugh. "The worst part is they thought they were protecting me."

Gavin creased his brow in thought. He might not have been the brightest bulb in the bunch, but he was doing his best to place himself in Rose's situation - and in Sam and Dean's as well. "If I had a sister of my own, I would want to protect her too. Even if it meant lying to her to keep her outta harm's way."

Rose placed her fork beside her empty plate. "It's not that simple. They lied to me for six straight years. Coming up on seven soon. All to keep me out of their business. Dean always talks about how important family is to him, but they decided to shut me out when they needed me."

"If I can ask….what exactly were they trying to protect you from?" Gavin took one last bite before setting his own fork down as well.

Rose looked up at the young Scot sitting across from her. She didn't want to talk about it. She couldn't go over it all again. She had done enough of that. She was past wallowing in their lies and the truth. But perhaps she could give him a glimpse into her problems.

"Well, you know about demons. You may as well know the rest." Rose mumbled. Gavin's brows knit in confusion once again. Rose spoke up as she continued. "What do you know about monsters?"

"You mean like demons?"

"Other than demons."

Gavin's expression floated through thought and, well, confusion. "People used to tell stories about vampires and witches, if that's what you mean."

Rose nodded solemnly. "Yeah. Those things….they're all real. Witches, vampires, werewolves, wendigos...you name it, it exists."

"I...what? You're tellin' me...all those monsters….all those stories….they're true? They're real?" His eyes widened so much Rose swore she could see every inch of his eyeballs.

"My family...we hunt them. We're hunters. Of the supernatural variety. We specialize in killing all of those monsters. Demons and angels too, apparently." Rose propped an elbow up on the table and rested her head on her hand. When Gavin was too taken by shock to reply, Rose continued. "Basically, they thought they were keeping me out of some pretty bad hunts. They died themselves a few times. Brought back by angels and god knows what else."

Gavin alternated between blinking furiously and licking his lips while he processed her information. He knew angels and demons existed - not that he had ever seen one until a few days ago - but that was mostly on faith. But to learn that every monster imaginable existed in this world? It was frightening! However, he felt better knowing Rose could kill them. He felt safer around her. He knew she would keep him safe.

"They….died? And the angels brought them back?"

"Something like that."

Gavin nodded absentmindedly.

Rose stood and cleared the table. She carried the plates to the kitchen sink amid the gorgeous bird's eye maple countertops, expecting no further conversation from Gavin while he thought. For a moment, she beat herself up over telling him about the things that go bump in the night. She quickly concluded that - as Prince of Hell - Gavin stood no chance of remaining ignorant to the supernatural world. Sooner or later, he would learn, so it might as well be now while Rose can watch over him.

Rose rinsed the dishes and set them in the dishwasher so conveniently hidden behind a wooden cabinet door. She carefully placed each dish in its spot.

But she nearly dropped the glass she was holding when she heard Gavin's statement. "At least you're alive to hate them for keeping you in the dark."

Rose couldn't help but bark a soft and rather sad laugh. More to herself than to Gavin, she replied: "That sounds exactly like something Dean would say…"

Gavin came traipsing into the kitchen hoping to push away the worried thoughts that were running marathons in his head. He took the glass from Rose's hand and finished up cleaning the kitchen for her.

"I'm gonna go get your room ready." Rose muttered then fled the kitchen.

He was right. He was completely right. But that was still no excuse for what they did. The three of them were family. The Winchesters. Nothing could stop them. She should have been a part of their escapades to Hell and back. They should have faced it all together - as a family. She was a hunter, and she always would be. She knew her break wouldn't last forever. Didn't they? What gave them the right to betray her like that?

Rose first retrieved a set of sheets from the linen closet in the hall then strolled to one of the spare rooms. She stretched the fitted sheet over the queen-size mattress, then the regular sheet. She clothed the pillows and added a few lush blankets.

When she was finished, she could still hear Gavin clinking about in the kitchen, so she took a moment to herself. Rose sat on the edge of the newly made bed and sighed.

She was done worrying about her brothers. They had pushed her too far this time. How could she even consider them brothers after what they did? She could handle drama and orders and blood and guts and anything else Hell wanted to throw at her. But they knew full well how much she hated being lied to. Honesty was the one thing a hunter relied on. Honesty and trust. One is never seen without the other. When one is absent, the other is as well. Without honesty, how can one be trusted? Without trust, how can one survive?

No. She was done. Sam and Dean could do whatever they wanted. She was done. They could run around solving Heaven's problems and killing whatever filth Purgatory spat out. They could have Heaven and their angel buddies, but Hell was her domain now. Messing with Crowley, Gavin, or Hell was the line Rose drew. Messing with them would only end badly for the Winchester boys. Rose would make sure of that.

She would do whatever it takes to protect what she had left.

* * *

**Just a few more chapters before it gets less fluffy again! If anyone has something in particular that they would like to see in either this story or in 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn,' don't hesitate to let me know!**

**I (sadly) do not own Supernatural, but I do own Marian Rose Winchester and any stuff _not_ seen on the show.**


	13. Chapter 13

_No. She was done. Sam and Dean could do whatever they wanted. She was done. They could run around solving Heaven's problems and killing whatever filth Purgatory spat out. They could have Heaven and their angel buddies, but Hell was her domain now. Messing with Crowley, Gavin, or Hell was the line Rose drew. Messing with them would only end badly for the Winchester boys. Rose would make sure of that._

_She would do whatever it takes to protect what she had left._

* * *

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

**In which Rose and Gavin spend some quality time together**

(Written to: Carrying You by Joe Hisaishi from Castle in the Sky)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=9bK5Ur0Vi0Y

* * *

When Gavin woke in the morning, he found a fresh set of clothes laying out for him. He made a mental note to thank Rose as he pulled himself out of bed.

It had taken him a while to fall asleep. His mind had been racing ever since their conversation at dinner.

He thought he was well enough adjusted to being in a different time, but was still stuck on the idea of his father actually caring for him. Then there was the matter of Rose. She was incredibly kind to both of them. That must have been what changed in Fergus' - no, Crowley's - life that made him grow a heart all of a sudden.

Gavin had never been able to picture his father actually in love. Is this what it looked like? He seemed so similar to how he had been before his death, yet there was something so very different about him - something that could only be chalked up to Rose.

After getting dressed in the strange yet comfortable modern clothes, he made his way downstairs only to find Rose already awake and at the dining table. She was seated on one of the benches along the side of the table with her head in her hands. Rose was still poring over the book she had found in Crowley's little office, studying every inch of it.

"G'morning!" Gavin called out to her.

Rose's head snapped up and she spun to locate the cheery voice. Her eyes were sunk and dark, and her face looked as if it were drooping. With a small smile, she called back: "Good morning, Gavin. You sleep well?"

"I did. And yourself?" His enthusiastic smile fell some at the girl's appearance. She looked entirely worn out.

"Well enough." Rose cleared her throat and gestured towards the kitchen. "Breakfast is on the counter if you want it."

Gavin nodded. "Thank you. Oh! And thank you for the clothes!"

"Don't thank me, thank your father. He ran out to get stuff for you last night." Rose stifled a yawn and stretched in her seat. In all honesty, she hadn't slept at all last night. She had managed to close her eyes and drift off for about twenty minutes before her mind woke her up again. She was too worried to get any sleep. She knew what she needed to do, she just had to pin down how.

"What's the book about? Anythin' good?" Gavin came waltzing back to the dining table with a plate chock-full of eggs and pancakes. Rose wasn't by any means an amazing cook, but she had picked up a few things from working in a cafe for so long. Either way, Gavin was grateful for and excited about fresh food that had more flavor than the scraps he was used to.

"Just some old lore. Pretty dull stuff, if you ask me."

Gavin's brows furrowed in typical confusion and question. "If it's so dull, then why are you readin' it?"

Rose shrugged. "Comes with the job."

"Job?"

"Hunting."

"Oh." Gavin's eyes fell back to his food, which he promptly stuffed his face with. "About that…"

Rose looked up from her book with raised brows of her own, waiting for him to finish his statement - and his bite.

"Would you teach me?"

Rose gaped for a moment. "About hunting?"

Gavin nodded, a smile creeping up on his face.

"I-what?" Out of all the ways for Gavin to respond to his newfound knowledge about the world, that was _not_ what she had been expecting to hear.

"I just figure...I ought to know how to defend myself should I ever come across one of these...monsters."

Rose wrung her hands in her lap beneath the table. "You do realize that hunting isn't any walk in the park, right? It got my family killed. People only get into the life because they were dragged into it kicking and screaming. And once you're in, you can't ever get out."

"I don't plan on looking for the monsters. I simply realize there's a lot I don't know, but being Prince of Hell and all, I really should know it."

Rose sighed. He had a point, after all. So she nodded slowly. "Alright. I'll teach you what you need to know. But only to defend yourself. I don't want you hunting. Crowley won't either."

Gavin beamed. He was getting good at this negotiating stuff. "When do we start?"

"Hold your horses there, Gav. Theory and facts first, then maybe we can get to actual self-defense." Rose folded down the corner of her page in the book, then shut it with a small thud. She stretched in her seat, then placed her arms on the table before her.

"Alright, well...may as well start with demons. I'm sure Crowley told you the other demons might not be so keen on having a human prince, so you should learn how to deal with them." Gavin nodded intently, taking another bite. "First things first, salt is important."

* * *

The next time Crowley came to check in on his strange little family, Rose and Gavin had spent a good two days going over the 'theory of hunting' - as it was coined by Rose. They had been over demons, vampires, werewolves, djinn, wendigo, ghosts, ghouls, spirits, shapeshifters, skinwalkers, and even angels extensively. She had explained to him how those creatures came to be, what they were capable of, what they were weak to, and how to kill them.

Gavin had grown antsy and restless, somewhat itching to put his (now) well-tested knowledge into practice. After several hours of him begging between being fed information, Rose gave in and began to teach him the basics of fighting.

That was when Crowley showed up.

Rose and Gavin were tussling outside. When Crowley wandered out there, the first thing he saw was Gavin in a headlock.

"Seems I missed the party after all." Crowley watched the pair with the unasked question in his eyes: just what the hell were they doing?

Rose laughed and released Gavin, who in turn shook himself out and stretched his neck. He was incredibly sore from getting his ass kicked for the past four hours. Rose was good, and he had a lot to learn. And they hadn't even gotten to any sort of weapon yet.

"No party. Just a bit of a self-defense lesson." Rose gave the King of Hell a quick kiss before helping Gavin to his feet.

"Well in that case, he's got the best teacher there is." Rose rolled her eyes.

"How's work going?" A small smile flitted over Rose's features.

"Well enough. Surprisingly in decent order already."

"Anyone giving you trouble?"

"Already dead."

Rose barked a laugh. Of course they were. Shaking her head, she entered the quaint cottage and made a beeline for the kitchen. She grabbed a sparkling glass from an upper cupboard and filled it to the brim with ice cold water from the tap.

Crowley and Gavin weren't far behind her, but they took their time walking into and through the cottage.

"She kicked your ass, didn't she?" Crowley's faint voice was just loud enough for Rose to hear.

Somewhere out of her sight, Gavin nodded sheepishly. "For four hours straight."

Crowley laughed. He had expected nothing different. As they entered the kitchen, Crowley caught sight of the dining table not far from him. He noticed the book still sitting there. The pages were beginning to look visibly worn and the spine creased more times than he could count.

That was when he noticed Rose's appearance. She was ragged. The light in the kitchen illuminated her face just perfectly so that he could see every tired line on her expression. The bags under her eyes were extremely dark and her eyes themselves were well sunk. Her posture slouching against the counter lazily holding a glass of water was anything but alert.

"How have you been sleeping, Flower?" Crowley raised a brow. He already knew the answer.

Rose shrugged and set down her glass. "Well enough."

He nodded in return, though he wasn't buying her story. "Just how much time have you spent with that book?"

Rose huffed. "Are you really gonna get on my case about reading? It's good for a person, you know."

"Not when it's depriving them of sleep. You're obsessed, love. And you need a good night's rest." Crowley approached her and tucked a lone strand of hair behind her left ear.

"I'll sleep when I'm dead." Rose muttered.

Crowley stifled a laugh. She probably hadn't slept in three days and yet she still hadn't been caught off guard by anything Gavin had tried and she still had her wonderful and occasionally irritating sass.

"What would you two like for dinner? My treat." Crowley winked. Rose knew exactly what he meant.

"You gonna fetch it or are we eating out?" She crossed her arms and shifted her weight on her legs. Her eyes lit up ever so slightly at the idea.

"I think you've earned a night out."

Rose turned to Gavin, who was (as always) not fully understanding the conversation. "Is there anywhere you want to go, Gavin? Anywhere in the world? Some place you've always wanted to visit?"

Gavin beamed. Now he understood. "Anywhere?"

"Anywhere," Crowley answered with a slight nod.

"Well, I never really did get to go to America. Ship sinkin' and all."

"America it is." Crowley turned to Rose. "Any suggestions, love?"

"Well, he may as well try out all of America's favorites while he's there. How about New York?"

"One trip to New York, coming right up."

Then in a blink, the familial trio vanished from the cottage, leaving behind the fresh air, the beautiful garden, and the book Rose had memorized.

* * *

On his way from the dungeon to the library, Sam Winchester had his still ringing phone pressed up against his ear.

Six times.

Seven times.

Eight times.

"_This is Rose's other phone. If it's important, leave a message. It's life or death, leave two. If not, get the hell outta here."_

Sam ran his hand over his face. He had been a fool to even hope that she might pick up.

After the tone, he carefully started his message.

"Hey, Rose. I-I know you're still pissed. I get it. Hell, if I were you, I'd be pissed for another year. But Dean...just..something's happened. He doesn't have any control right now. Cas and I got him locked up, but I could really use your help on this. Just for a bit."

Not knowing what else to say, the youngest Winchester ended the call and sighed. He really needed Rose right now. He could only pray that she would check her messages in time and be willing to put her anger on hold. Just for a bit. Just until Dean could control himself.

* * *

**Well this turned out a little shorter than I had anticipated. I'll try beefing up the next few chapters, but they might be on the shorter side as well.**

**Despite my complaints, I do not own Supernatural. I only own Marian Rose Winchester and the things her existence changes.**


	14. Chapter 14

_"Hey, Rose. I-I know you're still pissed. I get it. Hell, if I were you, I'd be pissed for another year. But Dean...just..something's happened. He doesn't have any control right now. Cas and I got him locked up, but I could really use your help on this. Just for a bit."_

_Not knowing what else to say, the youngest Winchester ended the call and sighed. He really needed Rose right now. He could only pray that she would check her messages in time and be willing to put her anger on hold. Just for a bit. Just until Dean could control himself._

* * *

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

**In which Rose does what she has to**

(Written to: West Wing by Alan Menken from Beauty and the Beast)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=VCy08FsFwJU#Beauty_And_The_Beast_Soundtrack_~_West_Wing

* * *

They had barely sat down at a table with their food in front of them when Crowley began to fidget in his seat.

"Something wrong?" Rose cocked an eyebrow.

"I'm being summoned." He sighed in response.

"Figures. By who?"

"Three guesses."

Rose groaned. "Just….be careful, okay?"

"Aren't I always?" That only earned him a bitch face that seemed to run in the Winchester family.

"Try not to get into too much trouble."

"No promises, Flower." Crowley stood from the table, gave Rose a kiss and Gavin a nod, then he left.

Rose sighed. Across from her, Gavin was beginning to stuff himself with food.

"Well I guess we're on our own for the day. You wanna explore the city?" Rose mustered up the biggest smile she could manage despite her worry.

Gavin beamed and nodded, his mouth resembling that of a chipmunk's.

* * *

Crowley vanished from New York City only to appear in a devil's trap in the depths of the Men of Letter's bunker. "What's that smell?"

He looked around, expecting to see both of the idiotic Winchester boys, but only Dean stood in front of him - locked in his own dungeon.

"What the hell's happening to me, you son of a bitch?"

Crowley shrugged. "Liquor before beer? Bad taco? How should I know?"

"I can't turn it off! Ever since I killed Abaddon, it's - it's like this whole...other thing." Dean was equal parts furious and anxious. "I get this high and I-I-I really need to kill. I mean, I really, really need to kill. And if I don't-"

"You yak your guts out." Crowley finished for him. "It's the Mark."

"Meaning?"

"It wants you to kill. The more you kill, the better you feel. The less you kill, the less better you feel."

Dean eyed Crowley. He had a feeling he knew where this was going. "How much less better?"

"One would imagine the least-best better."

"So dead." Dean nodded to himself. "Well, Cain had the Mark. He didn't die."

"Cain was a demon." The thought of how Cain became a demon flitted in the back of his mind. "Your body's not strong enough to contain the Blade's power."

Dean swallowed hard. "What if I got rid of it?"

Crowley raised a brow. "You want to get rid of it?"

"What I want is Metatron." Dean felt himself beginning to lose control again. He had to figure it out. He felt like a ticking time bomb, and he didn't like one second of it.

"Go on."

"But I have to get through that door-" Dean pointed at the sealed entrance behind him. "and I have to get the Blade. And you're gonna help me."

* * *

Rose was grateful that Crowley had zapped them up some weather-appropriate clothes when they traveled to New York. It was somewhat chilly at the moment, and Rose had to button up her black jacket to keep the breeze from chilling her core.

Despite the cold, Rose couldn't help but laugh at Gavin's amazement. He was in awe of such a big city with its tall buildings and bumper-to-bumper traffic. In all honesty, he had seen a fair bit of similar sights through his window in Chicago, but there was something about New York that just seemed...grander.

Rose had shown him the Statue of Liberty across the water and they had stood at the base of the Empire State Building. She told him all about the giant Christmas tree that they put up every year and they had walked through Time Square.

She was in the middle of telling him about all the parades and the New Year's celebrations when she felt her phone vibrate for what must have been the fifth call in the last two hours. When she dug it out of her pocket to check the caller I.D., Rose discovered that she had six messages - all from Sam.

"Hang on a sec, I gotta check these." Rose muttered, then fumbled to dial her voicemail.

"_Hey, Rose. I-I know you're still pissed. I get it. Hell, if I were you, I'd be pissed for another year. But Dean...just..something's happened. He doesn't have any control right now. Cas and I got him locked up, but I could really use your help on this. Just for a bit."_

"_Rose, Dean took the First Blade and he's running loose with Crowley. We think he might be going after Metatron with him. I could really use your help, Rose."_

"_Rose, please, answer your phone. This is life or death, so I'm going to keep leaving messages until you answer. I don't care how pissed you are. I need to find Dean before he gets himself killed. That stupid Mark is messing with his head. Please, Rose."_

"_Message number three. I'm not going to stop anytime soon. Cas and Gadreel have a plan to help defeat Metatron so maybe Dean stands a chance. That leaves me on my own to find him. Rose, I need your help. Please."_

"_Listen, you can stay pissed all you want, but Dean and I are still your brothers. We didn't ask for your help before, but now I'm telling you that we really, really need it. If something happens to Dean…."_

"_Metatron is playing Jesus now, not just God. He's healing people - performing miracles. I'm heading to talk to the lady he healed right now. If you decide you wanna help us, I'll text you the address. Please, Rose...just call me back."_

Rose groaned and pulled the phone away.

"Somethin' the matter?" Gavin turned to watch her.

"Dean's gone rogue with Crowley in tow, and Sam is chasing after him and begging for my help." She flipped her phone over in her hand, over and over, biting her cheek all the while.

"You should go."

"Go where?" Crowley appeared beside them, the look on his face resembling a cross between a grimace and a question.

"Sam wants my help finding Dean." Rose explained. Then before he could register it, Rose stomped forward and punched him on the shoulder. "What the _hell_ were you thinking? Running around with Dean when he's got the First Blade!"

"He wanted my help! He wasn't going to use it on me!" Crowley rubbed his shoulder. "And you should know that the brothers have been reunited and are going after Metatron without me."

Rose ground her jaw. After Metatron, Crowley would be next. If she was going to make her move, she needed to do it soon.

"I want you to take me to them."

Crowley did a double-take. "What?"

"I'm gonna call Sam, and then I want you to take me to them."

"Why on earth-I thought you were still livid with them?"

Rose inhaled sharply. "Oh, I am. But if they think I'm gonna sit this one out after keeping me on the sidelines for six years, they are sorely mistaken."

Crowley pursed his lips and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Fine. We'll go back to the cottage, you can call Moose, then I'll take you to them."

Rose nodded. "Okay. But you aren't sticking around. You've spent enough time around them today."

Crowley sighed. He had no desire to hang around Rocky and Bullwinkle and get caught in their quarrels, but he did want to make sure Rose was alright. However, he knew there was no winning with her once she was set on something. Besides, she could take care of herself.

* * *

Sam had picked up on the first try. They had a brief discussion after which Rose promptly hung up and Sam texted her the location of the homeless camp 'Marv' was staked out in. After setting Gavin up for however long she would be away, she told Crowley she was ready, and they zapped to the camp.

They stood outside waiting for the Impala to pull up.

"You sure you're alright with this?" Crowley asked, watching the girl closely.

She nodded. "Yeah. I'll be fine. Relax."

"Easier said than done." He mumbled.

It wasn't long until the familiar headlights came around the corner. Crowley pulled her into a tight hug, planted a kiss on her forehead, then muttered: "Try not to get into too much trouble."

Rose swallowed hard. "No promises."

Doing her best to smile convincingly, Rose pulled away from his embrace and gave him one last kiss before he left her to deal with her brothers.

By the time she made it over to the car, Sam was out cold on the ground, and Dean was clutching the wrapped-up First Blade.

"Sorry, little brother. It's not your fight." Dean began to make his way to the homeless camp.

"So it's all up to you? The great Dean Winchester?"

Dean spun, surprised to see his baby sister standing maybe ten feet behind him with her hands on her hips. Clearly, Sam had failed to tell Dean their sister was joining the fight.

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm the only one with the Mark."

Rose raised her hands in a sign of peace. "Hey, I'm not gonna stop you. You can go get yourself killed if you want."

She took a few careful steps towards him.

"So what are you here for, then? To bitch at me some more about keepin' you in the dark?"

"First of all, Sam begged for my help with this. After all the big cases I've had to sit out on, I ain't sittin' out on this one." Now relatively close to her big brother, she grabbed his right arm and pulled up his sleeve, revealing the red mark beneath it. "And I've been reading up on the Mark of Cain. It's pretty nasty."

"What about it?" Dean watched his sister carefully. She seemed too calm after everything that happened.

"As pissed as I am with you two, I wouldn't wish this curse on even my worst enemy. So," Rose held a tight grip on his arm with her right hand and traced over it with her left. "I want to hear that when this is over - when Metatron is dead - you'll get rid of it. Either you find a spell or something or you give it to someone else."

"Who could I give it to? People aren't exactly lining up to take it. Besides, it's too powerful to give to just anyone."

"I know. But I want to hear the words. Even though it doesn't mean much to me, I want to hear you promise that after Metatron is dead, you'll get rid of it. Whether it's a spell or you have to give to someone, you'll get rid of it."

Dean sighed. He shifted his weight and rotated his grip on the weapon in his left hand. "Yeah, okay. I promise."

"You have to say it. All of it."

"I'll get rid of it. I'll get rid of the Mark."

"Keep going."

Dean huffed. "After Metadouche is dead, I'll get rid of the Mark. I'll find a spell or something."

"Or?"

"Or I'll give it away. I'll find someone who's 'worthy' and give them the Mark. I'll pass it on."

There was a twinge of pain in his right forearm the moment the words passed his lips. He had to make things up to Rose. If this was what she wanted, he would do it. She was family, and he wanted her back with them. So even though his frustration was through the roof, he meant every word.

It wasn't until he saw the faint red glow that he understood what she was really doing. The vaguely familiar dull bite of pain moving through his arm and onto Rose's. She gritted her teeth.

"No. No, no, no!" Dean shouted.

But it was too late. Rose released her grip on his arm, took a step back, and wrenched the First Blade from his hand.

"I'll clean up your mess, then this'll all be out of your hair."

"Rose, what the HELL have you done?"

"I saved your sorry ass. You should be grateful." She took several steps towards the camp and past Dean before he grabbed her and spun her around.

"Give it back."

"No."

"I'm not letting you do this."

Before he could even register a second of what she was doing, he was out cold on the ground.

"I wish I could say I'm sorry." Rose glanced down at his motionless form one last time before stalking off to find the S.O.B. hiding amongst the homeless.

She rubbed her forearm absentmindedly as she walked. She could feel the little bumps and ridges beneath her sleeve and the power coursing through her veins.

She had the Mark of Cain.

* * *

**So, uh...y'all watch The Wether Project last night? Oh the feels...but if they kill off Crowley, I'm gonna be really mad.**

**Also! I won't be writing _every_ episode from Season 10, so some of it might move a little quickly. That being said, once I catch up to the current episodes, updates will come a little more slowly. In the free time that that creates, I'll be starting up another Supernatural story based on an idea I've had floating around for several months. It's gonna start around the beginning of Season 3 if anyone is interested.**

**Anywho! I do not own Supernatural, but I do own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that her presence alters. If anyone has any suggestions, concerns, criticisms, or requests, all are welcome!**


	15. Chapter 15

_"I wish I could say I'm sorry." Rose glanced down at his motionless form one last time before stalking off to find the S.O.B. hiding amongst the homeless._

_She rubbed her forearm absentmindedly as she walked. She could feel the little bumps and ridges beneath her sleeve and the power coursing through her veins._

_She had the Mark of Cain._

* * *

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

**In which Metatron is a douche**

(Written to: Mandus by Jessica Curry from Machine For Pigs)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=O46KvOHTB18#Amnesia_(A_Machine_For_Pigs)_OST_-_Mandus_Extended

* * *

"Well, well, well, if it isn't little Mary." Metatron smiled at her arrival. Rose descended the stairs slowly, glaring at the Scribe all the while.

"It's Rose." She growled.

"Of course it is." He pushed himself off the ground and stood to greet his visitor. "As excited as I am to meet such a pretty little girl, I was expecting your brother."

"So I heard." Rose tightened her grip on the still-wrapped weapon. "Listen, I don't care what you think you're doing or why. I'm just here to kill you."

"My, my, aren't you a feisty one?" The angel grinned mockingly. "Straight down to business then, huh? I like you."

"Feeling's not mutual." Rose slowly unwrapped the First Blade.

"The First Blade. Nasty piece of work, isn't she?" He smirked. "Okay, let's say you win-"

"Spare me the evil plot, Doofenshmirtz. I really don't care." Rose gripped the Blade in her right hand. She inhaled sharply the moment it made contact with her calloused skin. The power that thing gave off was enough to power the entire American electrical grid for a century. In combination with the Mark of Cain, Rose felt unstoppable. She was going to kill a juiced-up angel. She was going to win.

Rose lunged forward and thrust the Blade towards Metatron. In Rose's haste to kill him, Metatron was able to deflect her attack, but not the great shove she gave him with her left hand. The angel stumbled back, surprised at her strength.

"Wow. That big blade and douchey tribal tat sure gave you some super juice!"

"Shut up." Rose growled, lunging for another attack.

* * *

Under Rose's advisement, Crowley now sat at his desk in the cottage. She didn't want Gavin left alone - not if someone who had gone 72 hours without real sleep was so easily able to overpower him. He wouldn't stand a chance if he got attacked. Even though Crowley had gone to great lengths to hide the cottage from prying eyes, Rose was worried for him. Unfortunately, the worry had been passed onto Crowley.

So instead of going back to Hell, he remained with his son to keep an eye on him.

No matter what he did, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen to Rose. He figured he would give her a little bit longer, then go check on her.

All of this was so new to him. All of these feelings he had a difficult time sifting through. But one thing was certain: he loved Rose. She was smart, witty, kind, and had an attitude the size of the galaxy. She handled him better than any other person or demon he had met. She knew him better than he knew himself. She wasn't afraid of him.

In return, he was there for her. He complimented her sass with his own wit. He never lied to her. He never had a reason to. They understood one another's problems. They were both strong and independent, but in the end they always enjoyed each other's company and advice. Neither of them liked to rely on people, but for better or for worse, they both relied on each other immensely.

Love was brand new for him, but he understood that it was love he felt when he was around Rose - when he thought about her. It had been a very long time since he had done something so impulsive and rooted in human emotions, but he had made his decision.

Although it wasn't until he brought Gavin to the little cottage that he had decided to make that decision. In fact, while he was away, he spent more time thinking about Rose and his questions than he did about Hell and demons. He hoped that once his question was out of the way, he would be able to focus again and get his work done.

So instead of looking over paperwork like he had planned, he sat at his desk playing with a little package no bigger than an eraser. He twirled it in his hands, opened it, shut it, tossed it, and watched it closely.

He was nervous. That was new too. He had never been nervous in his life.

It wasn't just the human blood that had done a number on him. Rose had too.

* * *

Rose was good, but Metatron was better. The Mark and the Blade were giving her immense help, but the Angel Tablet was better. She had stood her ground and fought well, but Metatron had fought better.

By the time Sam and Dean were conscious again and ran into the building, they saw Rose jam the First Blade into Metatron's shoulder just as he ran her through with his angel blade.

Her face was bloody and her body was slumped against the wall. The blade left a hole in her abdomen, gushing with fresh, crimson blood. Rose had just enough energy left to yank the Blade back into her possession before Sam and Dean were at her side.

Metatron stumbled back, bloody himself. He smirked at his victory.

The building began to shake and the lights flickered. The Winchester brothers exchanged a glance. The Angel Tablet was destroyed. Sam pulled his own angel blade and charged at the weakened angel.

But he was gone.

"Rose," Dean held up her head, burning tears welling in his eyes. He wasn't gonna lose his baby sister. Not like this. "Rose, you hang in there you hear me?"

The boys fumbled around trying to stop the bleeding. Rose's body fell limp, void of energy. The First Blade fell from her with a clatter.

"We gotta get her to a hospital. We gotta get her healed." Sam gaped at her injuries.

"What the hell were you thinking, Rose?! I had it! I woulda been fine!" Dean shouted. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was surprised at how little he was longing for violence and to skin that junkless douchebag alive.

"Don't kid yourself." Rose coughed up a dollop of blood. "I didn't do this for you."

"Then why the hell'd you do it?" Sam barked. His own eyes were glossed over with unshed tears. He had a feeling he already knew the answer, but he couldn't bring himself to believe that she would do something so rash and stupid. He shouldn't really have been so surprised. She was a Winchester, after all.

"For the only family I have left. The only family that didn't betray me." Rose spat.

"Please tell me you don't mean Crowley." Dean's voice dropped two octaves and caught in his throat. It was his fault his baby sister was dying.

Rose turned her eyes away from her brothers.

"Crowley." Sam muttered. "He's gonna skin us alive if Rose doesn't make it."

"That really doesn't matter right now. We're gonna get her to a hospital and he can bitch at us later." Dean moved to help Rose stand, but she shoved him away.

"Just let me die in peace. I don't want your help."

"Don't be stupid, let me help you." Dean tried again.

"What did you idiots do?" Crowley seethed. He entered the building and raced down the stairs. He had only seen blood and two unharmed Winchester boys.

"She took the Mark from me and decided to take on Metatron herself." Dean spat at the King of Hell.

Crowley searched for insults and curses and threats, but at the sight of Rose, he fell silent. He struggled for air. No. This couldn't be happening. She couldn't have done this.

"Get out." He ordered, his own voice lowering several octaves.

"No. We're not leaving our sister here to die."

"She's not going to die."

"What, you're gonna heal her?"

"She's past being healed."

"So then what the hell sort of cryptic crap are you getting at?"

With a flick of Crowley's hand, the boys were shoved away from Rose, who was passing into unconsciousness. Crowley collected the First Blade and approached his Queen. He knelt beside her.

"I didn't tell any of you the entire truth. But I never lied-" He glared at the boys. "That's important. I never lied."

He turned back to the girl who took her last breath. "But there is one story about Cain that I might have...forgotten to tell you. Apparently, he, too, was willing-" Crowley almost choked on the word. "to accept death, rather than becoming the killer the Mark wanted him to be. So he took his own life with the Blade. He died. Except, as rumor has it, the Mark never quite let go."

Crowley took Rose's cold hand in his own. "I should have told you, Flower. Perhaps you wouldn't have been so eager to do this to yourself."

He placed the First Blade in her hand and wrapped her fingers around it. Crowley placed her hand back in her lap. He tucked a rebellious, bloody strand of hair behind her ear and let his hand run along her cheek. The little box in his pocket caught his attention as he shifted his weight around. The rumors had to be true. He whispered more to himself than Rose: "Maybe miracles do come true."

Then he leaned down to kiss her forehead. Sam and Dean weren't pinned down by demonic powers, but by their own shock. They could only stare at the demon's strange behavior and gape at his words.

"Rose, love. What you're feeling is not death - it's life. A new kind of life." He kissed her forehead once more. "Open your eyes, love. See what I see. Feel what I feel."

Sam and Dean watched in horror as Rose slowly peeled her eyes open. But instead of her amber-laced hazel eyes, Rose's eyes were pitch black.

* * *

***Cue dramatic music***

**Bet you didn't see that coming! Now Crowley and Rose can live happily ever after...right?**

**I hope y'all are enjoying this rollercoaster so far! I am always open for suggestions or requests if anyone has any, as well as criticisms and advice.**

**I do not own Supernatural. I only own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon.**


	16. Chapter 16

_"Rose, love. What you're feeling is not death - it's life. A new kind of life." He kissed her forehead once more. "Open your eyes, love. See what I see. Feel what I feel."_

_Sam and Dean watched in horror as Rose slowly peeled her eyes open. But instead of her amber-laced hazel eyes, Rose's eyes were pitch black._

* * *

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN**

**In which Rose enjoys being a demon**

(Written to: Jenis' Tears from Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=MOS5oiSm_Mc#Professor_Layton_and_the_Eternal_Diva_OST-_Jenis_Tears

* * *

Rose's injuries healed themselves. Her eyes never left Crowley's, even after fading from a void of darkness to her natural hazel peppered with amber. Everything seemed….brighter. She could hear the mice scampering on the other side of the building. She could hear the rapid heartbeats of the two mortal men covered in their sister's blood. Color was sharper and more vibrant. Even the gray of the building seemed more vivid.

"The Mark wouldn't let him die." Rose mumbled, recalling the chapter she had memorized from Crowley's book. "That's how he became a demon."

Crowley nodded, his lips clamped together tightly. He ran a hand across her cheek again. Rose looked down at herself. She didn't have a scratch on her. She didn't feel any pain.

She didn't feel _any_ pain.

As she looked to Sam and to Dean (who had clambered to their feet and were beginning to walk over to her) all that brooding, gut-wrenching anger she had been harboring never hit her - never even once crossed her mind.

A massive, mischievous grin spread across Rose's face. She pushed herself to her feet and brushed the dirt off of her legs. She looked from the First Blade in her hand to Crowley standing before her - and she beamed.

She felt free. No more human emotions weighing her down. And she had power - so much more than the Mark of Cain had provided her with. She was a demon. A Knight of Hell. After all, that's what Cain became. So she must be a Knight too.

She laughed.

Her brothers froze.

"Rose, love….you alright?" Crowley asked, keeping his distance from her while he watched her curious behavior.

Grinning, she turned to look at the King of Hell. "Better than alright, sweetcheeks."

Sam and Dean exchanged glances. That was not their sister. The same thought floated through Crowley's mind. That wasn't Rose. Not entirely.

She spun to look at her horrified brothers, her sly grin exchanged for malicious gravity. "Don't even think about coming after me."

Then she was gone.

The brothers gaped.

"I don't know what the hell you did, but you're gonna fix Rose or so help me-"

"I didn't do anything!" Crowley cut Dean off with a vicious glare. "That was all you, Squirrel. If you hadn't lied to her, she wouldn't have taken the Mark, and she wouldn't be a demon right now."

"That's not Rose." Sam shook his head, grinding his jaw. He knew his twin damn well, and that wasn't her.

"'Fraid it is, Moose. Now, you heard the woman. Don't bother going after her." Then Crowley was gone too.

Dean's hands clenched up. Sam ran a hand through his hair.

"Now what?" Sam asked, his voice threatened to crack.

Dean ground his jaw in frustration. It was his fault. If he hadn't been so set on keeping her out of everything….

"We go after her, that's what. We can cure demons, so that's what we'll do."

* * *

Rose spent two months as a Knight of Hell before her brothers even got close to finding her. In those two months, Crowley and his Queen put their time together to good use - in more ways than one.

In those two months, Rose got to see Hell. She learned how to use her powers. She traveled the world in a week. When it came to other demons and the unfortunate idiots that sold their souls, she was ruthless. She was more feared than Abaddon. They knew her as a Winchester first, then a Knight and their queen - which made her even more frightening. Not to mention she was in possession of the Mark of Cain and the First Blade.

In those two months, Crowley did his best to rule Hell while his attention was divided. He explained to Gavin what had happened without going into too much detail. He had sealed down the cottage just in case. When it came to Rose, he was conflicted.

Rose still had her memories and her personality, but she had lost her kindness. She slaughtered unruly demons without a second thought. She mocked the injured instead of helping. Her smiles had lost all real joy. She wasn't Rose - not entirely.

Crowley was reluctant to allow her any real say in Hell for that very reason. He had no problem making the Rose he knew the Queen of Hell, but this Rose didn't have the same touch for logistics and viable strategies - she preferred brute force. He had tried so hard to enjoy Rose as a demon. She would get to live forever with him and she was capable of some amazing feats. She was strong and she was smiling - but it wasn't right.

The little box of questions hadn't left Crowley's pocket once in those two months. This wasn't _his_ Rose. He couldn't ask this Rose. It wasn't right. None of this was right.

After a month of demon Rose, Crowley began longing for his Rose. After six weeks of demon Rose, Crowley began searching for a solution to his problem. He knew all too well about the cure the Winchester boys had in their possession, but he wasn't about to ask them for help.

Besides, a cure wasn't entirely what Crowley wanted. He loved the idea of Rose being able to live forever with him and travel to Hell so she could be by his side. He just wanted her humanity back. He wanted her kindness and gentleness. He wanted her to smile with happiness, not trickery and malicious intent.

Crowley was hoping for a spell or some HooDoo hocus pocus that could get the job done - keep her immortal and powerful, but restore her humanity. Something like what had happened with him. But the cure would only be an option when he had none left.

However, Crowley was not a terribly patient man, and he wanted his Rose back. So after two weeks of searching (roughly five years in Hell), he was losing sight of any other options. He knew at some point he would have to enlist the two men who drove her straight into this mess.

Rose, however, was enjoying all of it. She was free. She was loving the power and the absence of pain. For once, she didn't care. She stopped thinking about her past, her father, her brothers. She was a Knight and the Queen of Hell. She could drink and party and blow stuff up and kill people and nothing mattered.

Unfortunately, after two months of reckless partying and killing, Rose had inadvertently left a trail that her brothers had picked up. The closer they got to finding her, the more aware she became of their pursuit. They were leaving a trail of their own.

So two days after two months, Rose had had enough. She told them not to come after her. So she reversed the game and came after them.

But when she found them, they were out behind one of the bars she visited recently being held at gun point. Sam and Dean were standing just beside the Impala with their hands in the air, trying to talk the young man down.

"Listen, kid, I don't know how you think you know us, but there's probably a good explanation." Dean spoke slowly.

"Nyack, New York, June 21, 2003."

Sam and Dean looked between one another. Neither of them knew exactly what that was supposed to mean.

"That was the night you gutted and murdered a man by the name of Edward Trenton. He was my father."

"I-" Dean was cut off by the soft thuds of approaching combat boots hitting the asphalt.

"Well, I came to tell you two to lay off, but it looks like this kid beat me to it, huh?" Rose smirked.

Cole Trenton spun to aim his gun at the new arrival.

"That's adorable." Rose cooed. "So, what did they do to you?"

"Dean Winchester killed my father."

"So you want revenge? To kill the person who killed your father?"

"That's right."

"Well," Rose took a few steps forward. "then you can shoot him all you want, but it won't help."

Before Cole could retort, Rose spoke up. "Because _I_ was the one who killed your father. Edward Trenton. That was a particularly interesting hunt."

Cole shook his head. "No, it was Dean. I remember seeing him."

"Oh, sweetheart. You've heard of false memories, right? Humans are notoriously bad witnesses. They just...fill in the missing gaps with whatever information is available." Rose took another step. She smirked at him and watched him with pitying, mocking eyes. "Think back. Real hard. I was there. It was me. _I killed your old man_. So go ahead, get your revenge."

Rose held her arms out to the side, offering herself as a target. Her smirk never faded.

Cole - clearly satisfied with Rose's answer and explanation - holstered his gun and swapped it for a knife.

"Ooh, kiddy likes to play with knives? Alright. I can dig it." Rose egged him on.

Cole leapt forward, aiming for her gut. Rose stepped out of the way. He stumbled past her. Without much hesitation, he lunged for her again. And again. And again. And each time, Rose dodged and deflected.

"Well, as adorable as this is-" Rose dodged again. "it's starting to get a little boring."

The next attack, Rose didn't bother evading. The knife pierced her abdomen. She smirked. Cole glared at her, waiting for her to fall to the ground.

"Feel better now?"

"That's not possible." Cole muttered.

"Oh, sweetie, but it is." Rose grinned maliciously. Cole yanked the knife from her gut and took two quick steps back.

"What are you?" Cole growled. He was terrified. He had to be dreaming. Or hallucinating. He wasn't sure which.

Rose blinked, and her eyes flashed black. Another blink two seconds later, and they were back to their natural color.

"She's a demon." Sam called out. He and Dean were still by the Impala, watching helplessly. They were hoping to catch up to their sister and surprise her, but they hadn't been nearly as discreet as they had hoped.

"Oh, Sammy. Not just any demon." Rose shook her head with the biggest shit-eating grin either of her mortal brothers had seen. "The Queen."

Rose watched as the muscles in Dean's jaw began to twitch. Sam swallowed hard.

"What? You seriously didn't expect it? Please." Rose scoffed a mocking laugh. "One doesn't bed the King for so long without reward."

With a forceful twist of her hand, Cole flew across the parking lot and hit the back of the building with a sickening thud. He fell to the ground unconscious but breathing.

"Now, down to business boys." Rose strode over to her silent brothers. "I said don't come after me. Have you fallen deaf or are you really that daft? The only reason you're still alive is because to kill you would be to have mercy on you. Just like that little dweeb over there. Death is the easy way out."

"What were we supposed to do? You're our sister." Dean stated.

"_Not_ anymore." Rose blazed. She closed the space between them to make her point. Her eyes flashed an inky black as she seethed. "You two did the one thing I relied on you _never_ doing. People who consistently lie to me aren't worth my time."

Rose's breathing was labored. If looks could kill, Sam and Dean would have been struck down long before she spoke. It was an honest miracle that their hearts were still beating.

"Now. I suggest you two find some nice cases to keep you busy, because if I _ever_ find that you two are coming after me again, _I will not hesitate to kill you_." Rose growled. "Is that clear?"

Dean sighed under his breath. This wasn't going to be an easy fix. "Crystal."

Rose took a step back and lifted her chin to hold her head high, mentally brushing off the uncomfortable rush of anger she had just experienced. "Oh, and Sam? Don't bother with the cuffs."

Then she was gone.

With a defeated huff, Sam stuffed the demon cuffs back in jacket pocket. She had been close enough to trap, but he hesitated. He wouldn't make that mistake again.

"Well, that went well." Sam muttered. "Now what?"

Dean ground his jaw. "We may as well take her suggestion. Let's go hunting."

"We can't just leave Rose like that! It's not her!" Sam yelled back.

Dean shook his head. "I know. But if we go right back to tracking her, she's gonna show up again and beat our asses. So we hunt, we keep tabs on her, and we try Crowley. Maybe even try to find a cure for that damn Mark."

* * *

**If anyone has any suggestions/requests for anything they want to see from demon!Rose, now would be the time to let me know. As fate would have it, demon!Rose has not been my favorite thing to write, so the next several chapters might seem a little rushed.**

**I have been informed that I do not own Supernatural. I do however own Marian Rose Winchester and anything not canon or widely accepted by the fandom.**


	17. Chapter 17

_Dean shook his head. "I know. But if we go right back to tracking her, she's gonna show up again and beat our asses. So we hunt, we keep tabs on her, and we try Crowley. Maybe even try to find a cure for that damn Mark."_

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

**In which things begin to escalate**

(Written to: No More (Instrumental) by Stephen Sondheim from Into the Woods)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=15w0rJ5w0Oo#Into_The_Woods_-_No_More_(Instrumental)_(Audio)

* * *

Another two weeks had gone by since Rose sent her brothers packing and Crowley wasn't any closer to finding a solution. Rose was beginning to kill demons that so much as annoyed her, and it needed to stop. He had tried talking her down, but the conversation went a completely different route than he had intended - a route straight to his bedroom. Not that he was complaining. Much. But Rose was a handful to say the least.

So when he found Castiel dying from an angel attack, he saved him somewhat because he had a small soft spot for the fallen angel, but also because he knew that Castiel would need to help if Rose was going to be cured. It was looking like she would have to be. But Crowley would put it off for as long as he possibly could.

Sam and Dean had left their sister's trail for the time being and went on a few hunts. They took a werewolf case and a poltergeist. However, two weeks after their brush with Rose, they stumbled upon a school production of Supernatural: the Musical. The girls in the play had some interestings ideas on the 'characters'' relationships. Shipping aside, they had a few interesting statements about Rose.

In their fan fiction version of the story, they had brought Rose back to hunt with her brothers. The play version of Rose had explained that she just needed a break to mourn her father's loss. She came back when they called and needed her help with the Apocalypse. The slightly obsessed actress that played the Winchester sister defended her role and told the boys that Rose wasn't any damsel-in-distress that needed saving or assistance and was tired of being treated that way.

Of course, she was right and the boys hadn't stopped thinking about it.

"You think that's really what Rose was thinking?" Dean was the first to break the silence in the Impala.

Sam nodded. "Yeah. I mean it definitely sounds like her. Just think about it - Dad made her sit out all the time. He wouldn't let us tell her about monsters and hunting until she was a teenager."

Dean sighed and shifted his grip on the steering wheel. "He was trying to protect her. He didn't want his little princess to be afraid."

Sam scoffed. "And we just did the same damn thing. We lied to her. Remember how mad she was with Dad after she found out? She did the same thing. She didn't go catatonic and she sure as hell let _us _know she was pissed, but she didn't talk to him for two years."

"I don't think she ever got over it….that's part of why she was so reluctant to go after Dad. She said if Dad didn't want her involved in his mess, then she sure as hell wasn't gonna go chasing after it."

Sam ran a hand over his face. "What the hell were we thinking? We should've known lying to her was a bad idea."

"At least she's alive to be pissed at us."

"Kinda. Just barely." Sam retorted. "She's a demon, now. Some job we did. That kid back there was right. Rose isn't some damsel-in-distress. She would've been just fine dealing with all our crap."

"Maybe. But that doesn't mean she should've been there. I promised Dad I would take care of you two, and that's what I'm doing. If that means you two get pissed at me and never speak to me again, at least I know you're safe."

"But she _isn't_ safe, Dean! She has the Mark of Cain, she's a _demon_, and she's parading around Hell like she owns the place! In what world is that _safe_?" Sam raised his voice.

"I didn't exactly account for Crowley, alright? I did my job, and he went and ruined it." Dean's hands tightened around the thin wheel.

"If we hadn't lied to her in the first place - if we had asked for her help when we _started the Apocalypse_, she wouldn't have hooked up with Crowley to begin with!"

Dean ground his jaw. No matter how hard he tried to blame Crowley, it always came back to him. Every single outcome could be traced back to his decision to keep Rose safe.

He sighed. "We're gonna get her back, Sammy. We're gonna get her back, we're gonna get rid of the Mark, and we're gonna tell her _everything_ from now on."

Sam nodded and turned his head to look at the scenery flying past his window. "We'll need help if we're gonna trap her."

"So we pull out the big guns. Call in a few favors." Dean shifted in the driver's seat. "But first, we gotta find her."

* * *

There were flecks of blood peppering Rose's face. Her hair wasn't much cleaner. The First Blade still clutched tightly in her right hand was drenched in the blood of a dozen demons. The bodies around her were mutilated to say the least, and there were pools of blood growing with every passing second.

Rose felt powerful. She felt unstoppable. She _was_ unstoppable. No one dared challenge her. She was a strong demon - even stronger than their king. Nothing was holding her back.

Nothing.

In fact, she didn't entirely feel in control of her actions. Not all the time. She had no problem killing demons - it was part of the job description. But slaughtering demons without so much as a thought…

She had first thought it was because she was a demon. Then she realized that she wasn't just ruthless, she _enjoyed_ the killing and the bloodshed and the slaughtering. And over time, it only got worse - or better. She wasn't sure which anymore.

All she knew was that it had to be the Mark of Cain. Demons loved killing as much as the next person, but Rose was on a whole new level. The Mark of Cain loved to kill - and now, so did Rose.

* * *

"_Crowley!_" Rose marched into his throne room.

"Oh great…" Crowley muttered and set aside his paperwork. With a dismissive wave of his hand, the various demon minions scattered and vacated the room. "Yes, love?"

"You put down half the new litters of hell hounds and you _didn't tell me_?" Rose shouted, striding right up to Crowley. He rose from his throne and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"As I recall, you didn't want to bothered with such menial matters."

"That's anything _but_ menial! Why the hell'd you put them down in the first place?! I was working with them!"

"My apologies, I hadn't realized you'd grown attached to the little buggers." Crowley mocked in his typical sarcasm.

Rose ground her jaw. "You're missing the point! _I had it covered!_ You had no reason or right to kill them! They were under my watch and you didn't even bother to talk to me about it!"

Crowley sighed and walked over to pour himself a drink. He took a long sip before responding.

"Let me guess, you already slaughtered the demons I had commit the deed?"

"They defied my orders, so yeah I killed 'em!"

Crowley swirled his drink in the glass. "Tell you what, you can have complete control over the next few litters, hm?"

Rose stomped up to him and made a point of getting in his face. "You so much a touch a hair on the next litter or send some junkless minions after them, I'll gut more than a few pathetic demons."

In typical Crowley fashion, he half raised a brow and rotated his jaw in silent and surprising frustration. Rose spun and made it two-thirds of the way out of the room before Crowley called out for her.

"Rose."

She spun on a dime to face him and put a hand on her hip. "What?"

"I have a few souls that need collecting. Care to try out your little proteges?"

Rose eyed Crowley in silent deliberation. "Alright."

Then she was gone.

Crowley sighed and set his glass down with a thud. He went back to his throne and groaned as he sat. Rose had only gotten worse. He needed to fix this. Soon. Now.

* * *

**I would like to thank every single person that has followed, favorited, and/or reviewed this story. It honestly means the world to me. My face lights up with every email. I know this story isn't amazing - I'm not writing it to be amazing - but I hope the character and plot developments are interesting enough to keep y'all hooked (for the most part).**

**Based on what I have written right now, the next few chapters will drag a little bit, and then a lot of stuff happens all at once so I can just get it out of the way and move on with the plot.**

**In case you haven't noticed yet, I won't be writing out every episode in its entirety in this particular story. There will be small references to said episodes and its events, and it will mostly follow the given timeline. However, since I am swiftly catching up to the current episode as I write, and since I have no idea what the conclusion of Season 10 will be, there may be some strange deviations eventually as I do my own take on things. Just a warning.**

**I do not own Supernatural, but I do own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom. As always, I am open to suggestions, requests, advice, and criticisms! Don't be afraid - I don't bite! (Much.)**


	18. Chapter 18

_"I have a few souls that need collecting. Care to try out your little proteges?"_

_Rose eyed Crowley in silent deliberation. "Alright."_

_Then she was gone._

_Crowley sighed and set his glass down with a thud. He went back to his throne and groaned as he sat. Rose had only gotten worse. He needed to fix this. Soon. Now._

* * *

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

**In which Rose cleans up the whorehouse**

(Written to: Tracking Elise by James Newton Howard from The Tourist)

Listenonrepeat:

* * *

A week of Rose collecting souls went by. Thankfully, there had been a surplus of deals that just so happened to all expire around the same time, so Rose was kept sufficiently busy. Crowley was losing hope for finding a solution to his dilemma. He would have to call Moose and Squirrel soon. He would just give it one more day…

Sam and Dean had tried picking up on Rose's trail again, but she had covered it well. They had been able to track down a few of her collections that week, but no luck in finding her. They had tried calling Castiel to help find her, but he was unable to. They had tried calling Crowley, but he wasn't answering. They hadn't really expected him to.

In between hunting down Rose, they had gone to Connecticut after a friend of Bobby's died, and now they were on the trail of a bunch of demons pimping out girls in exchange for souls. It was...the oddest thing they had seen demons do. At least...in a while.

Sam was kneeling beside a body laying in a puddle of black goop. "Uh, Dean, from the look...and smell of it...pure demon. I think this _is_ Raul."

"What? Did he puke himself to death?" Dean retorted.

Sam stood up. "Yeah. Literally."

"Okay, so…" Dean looked around, a drink in his hand. "Something went down here. There was a standoff. One demon smokes out and Raul...what can even kill a demon like this?"

That was when the youngest Winchester spotted the hex bag on the ground beside the dead demon.

"Apparently," Sam picked it up. "A witch."

* * *

"You opened a whorehouse in my name?" Crowley asked, partially curious and part frustrated.

"Well, technically, the place was called Raul's Girls, but…" Gerald replied. "Yes. Look, Raul said that-"

"Oh, Raul said?" Rose crossed her arms. Gerald flinched ever so slightly. He didn't dare make eye contact with or reply to the Queen, so he let his gaze wander in the space between the royal couple.

"Your decree last month - soul deals way down after the war with Abaddon. Said that you were looking for proactive and out-of-the-box strategies to get numbers back up."

"So, you and your half-wit pal threw me into the sex trade?" Crowley mused back, the frustration slowly becoming evident in his voice.

"That's the tackiest thing I've ever heard of. And I've seen a lot in my life." Rose rolled her eyes.

Gerald took a step away from the Queen and looked towards his king. "We tried running it past you, but we were told that you weren't taking meetings. That you were distracted." His eyes flitted over to the human-turned-demon, then back. "I mean, busy. Look, this witch took Raul down like that. Whole operation - kaput. I smoked out."

"Ran away." Rose barked back. Pathetic demons.

"I thought you should know what happened." Gerald risked replying directly to the woman. "Act of aggression like that didn't seem like something you could let stand."

"Right. Well," Rose uncrossed her arms and stood up straight, distributing her weight evenly between her legs. "You sit here and look pretty, and _I'll_ clean up your mess."

* * *

Dean turned only to find himself at the end of the barrel of none other than Cole Trenton's gun.

"Pal, we gotta work on your timing." Dean groaned.

"Drop the gun, Dean-o." Cole motioned for him to drop his weapon.

"Alright, she may not look like much, but letting this one go-" Dean motioned to Rowena (who was standing at the end of Dean's gun pretending to be as innocent as possible). "Big mistake."

Cole shot Dean a bitch face that paled in comparison to Sam's. "Uh-huh."

"You heard the boy," Rowena cooed. Dean slowly dropped his gun, letting it hit the ground. The redheaded witch smirked and turned to walk away -

Only to be stopped by the Queen of Hell.

Rose had her hands on her hips and was watching Rowena with a somewhat amused expression. "Well you just think you're all that and a bag of chips, don't ya?"

On instinct, Rowena let a few spells fly and threw a hex bag towards the demon. Rose caught it without an issue, then stood and stared at the strange object in her hand.

"I'm sorry, is this supposed to kill me?" Rose smirked. "Oh, sweetie, you're gonna have to try a _lot_ harder than that."

Before Rowena could run, Rose grabbed her and they were gone.

Cole had witnessed the whole scene over Dean's shoulder. Dean had heard it, but he didn't need to see it to know what happened.

"Look, man, just let me explain."

"Was it really her? She was the one that killed my father?"

Dean nodded solemnly. "Yeah. It was her. But listen, that isn't her. She's not...normally a demon."

"Was she a demon when she killed my father?"

"No. Cole, just give me five minutes to explain."

Cole hit the eldest Winchester's face with his gun. They struggled over the weapon before Dean was able to knock it from his hands.

The young man instead raised his fists. A few punches, tosses, and struggles over guns later, Dean had Cole had gunpoint.

"Five minutes. You're gonna give me five minutes to explain, then if you don't like it-" Dean lowered the gun, turned it, and offered it to Cole. " And you want me dead, then you can take your shot."

Cole accepted the gun and the offer. He nodded.

"What I do...what _we_ do...is hunt monsters. Your dad, Cole - your dad was a monster." Dean bit his cheek. "2003, Nyack, New York. Ed Trenton. We were working a case. Three dead - livers ripped out and eaten by your father."

"Livers?" Cole asked incredulously. He wasn't entirely sure if he believed the Winchester's story.

"Yeah. We tracked him down that night to your house."

"You say he was a monster. So what kind of monster was he?" Cole pressed.

Dean shook his head. "I don't know. We've never seen that kind before. Never seen it again. All I know is he came home that night looking to kill - could've been you, could've been your mom."

Cole breathed out: "No," shook his head, and repositioned his stance.

Dean continued without missing a beat. "The only reason that didn't happen is because we were there to stop him."

"I heard his voice," Cole shifted again. "It was a human voice, and he _begged you to stop_!"

"It's a ploy. It's a monster's trick." Dean let his gaze drop for a moment. "I know what you heard, but know this - that was not your father, Cole. Your father was already gone."

Sam came running. Dean saw him over Cole's shoulder, gun raised, ready to take the shot if Cole made any threatening move.

"Put it down." Dean called to his brother. "Sam, put it down!"

Cole spun and aimed for the youngest Winchester.

"Cole, it's fine." Dean tried.

"Dean?" Sam raised his voice in concern.

"Put it down!" Dean tried again.

Regretfully, Sam lowered his weapon. Cole spun back to face Dean, gun and all.

"Cole, hey, right here. We're talking, okay?" This wasn't Dean's first rodeo. He knew he had to keep Cole's attention and keep him calm and feeling in charge.

"How can I believe you, huh?" Cole raised his voice. "My whole life, I've been…"

"I get it. That was your story. Look, man, we've got one too. Okay, but those stories that we tell to keep us going? Man, sometimes they blind us. They take us to dark places…" Dean explained.

"Oh, yes, those dark places. The ones you're so afraid of, aren't you, Dean?" Rose was back. She strode up behind Dean. Cole exchanged his aim at Dean for one at the Winchester sister. He reached for his flask of holy water, but with a flick of Rose's wrist, it flew across the alley and well out of his reach.

"I can only assume you're referring to the dark place you sent me to." Rose smirked. "Well, let me tell you: it's nice here. All this darkness and freedom. You might enjoy it yourself, Deanie."

Rose flicked her hand again and Cole's gun flew to meet his flask. Unarmed, Cole kept his stance and readied himself for a fight.

But Rose just stood there.

"What's the matter, boys? Cat got your tongue?" Rose's combat boots ticked on the ground as she walked around her big brother. "Contrary to your belief, you aren't exactly...subtle. I told you to stop following me. Little kiddo there too." She motioned to Cole.

"We were just going after that witch." Dean tried playing it off.

"She's Hell's problem right now, considering her little vendetta against demons. And in case you've forgotten," Rose crossed her arms lowered her voice to make her next point. "Hell is _my domain_. You find a demon problem, I expect a call.

"Well, it's been nice catching up with you, but duty calls. Sayonara, boys!"

Then she was gone. Again.

Cole made no move for his gun and his posture relaxed. No one spoke for a moment. As a demon, Rose had a knack for setting them to silence.

"Was it really her? She was the one that kill my father? As a human? Because he was a monster?" Cole was the first to speak, and when he did, his voice caught in his throat.

"Yeah." Dean nodded. "I didn't lie to you. About anything."

Cole ground his jaw, then nodded.

* * *

Crowley didn't hear a single thing the witch was saying. He was too caught on his own thoughts. There was no way it was her. There was no way _in hell_ that she was sitting there before him. His own _mother_. The one that abandoned him, left him for dead, to starve. He wasn't sure he could handle it.

He left and slammed the door behind him. No, it couldn't be.

But it was. That was her. She hadn't aged a day and he knew her face too well.

He needed Rose. Dealing with Hell and Gavin and Rocky and Bullwinkle were all one thing, but his mother...he needed her if he was going to get through this mess. He needed her back.

It was time to call the boys.

* * *

**Hope you guys are ready for drama next chapter! I promise I have other stories in the works, but I also have a special AU story about Rose and Crowley ready to go up when I post Chapter 20 (and maybe one for either 30 or 40).**

**If you have any suggetions, requests, advice, and/or criticisms, please let me know! I promise any feedback or ideas are greatly appreciated!**

**As always, I sadly do now own Supernatural, but I do own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon or widely accepted by the fandom.**


	19. Chapter 19

_He needed Rose. Dealing with Hell and Gavin and Rocky and Bullwinkle were all one thing, but his mother...he needed her if he was going to get through this mess. He needed her back._

_It was time to call the boys._

* * *

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

**In which Rose is cured**

(Written to: The Last Agni Kai from Avatar: The Last Airbender Book 3)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=yFnnNijn_OI#Last_Agni_Kai_%5BAvatar_Soundtrack%5D

* * *

Crowley strode into the little bar in Minnesota where the boys had agreed to meet him. He wasn't by any means looking forward to this conversation or the events following.

"Hello, boys." The King of Hell sat at the little table. Dean and Sam were sitting opposite each other at the round table, and Castiel was across from Crowley's chair.

"What do you want?" Dean asked.

"Rose cured. She's messing with things that shouldn't be messed with, and I need this fixed. You imbeciles got her into this mess, so you're going to help me get her out."

"Hate to break it to you, but we haven't exactly been able to track her down without her finding out. There's no way we could get her in the first place to cure her." Sam huffed.

"There's where the pigeon and I come in." Crowley nodded towards the angel in a trench coat. "A little extra muscle and a few extra brain cells. Plus someone that she trusts."

"So what's your plan?" Cas asked, eyes squinted.

"Before we get to that, we need to agree on what happens after she's cured." Crowley shifted in his seat and leaned forward onto the table. "First, Dean is going to take the Mark back. It's not her problem, so she shouldn't have it. Second, she's going to stay with me, not you lot."

"She's our sister. She's staying with us." Dean retorted without missing a beat.

"She may share genetics with you and the Jolly Green Giant, but I'm not the ones that betrayed her. What makes you think she'd _want_ to stay with you?" When no one replied immediately, Crowley continued. "I'm only doing what's best for my queen."

Dean ground his jaw and sassed: "Anything else, your royal highness?"

"It's 'your majesty.'"Crowley shot a glare towards the eldest Winchester. "If something happens - anything even remotely important - other than your silly little hunts, you _will_ call her. She deserves that much from you idiots."

The brothers exchanged looks, then turned back to the demon.

"Alright." Sam agreed. "So…the plan?"

Crowley sat back in his chair and began to relay his brilliant plan.

* * *

The Queen of Hell was in the middle of cleaning up a second whorehouse some idiot demon decided was a good idea to set up when her phone began to ring. She slit the last demon's throat before answering.

"Rose?"

"Gavin, sweetie. Long time no talk. Must be important if you're calling me, so what's going on?" Phone pressed between her cheek and her shoulder, Rose took a nearby tablecloth and cleaned off the First Blade.

"I think there's a wendigo outside. I-I-I drew the symbols you showed me around the house, but I don't think it's goin' away." Gavin's voice was shaking. He was either terrified or nervous. Probably both.

"And you want me to come deal with it for you?"

"Please, Rose. I-I don't have anythin' that can light it on fire."

Rose sighed and took the phone in her hand again, letting her shoulder fall back to its place. "Yeah, alright. I'll be there in a second."

She hung up and stuffed the little device back her pocket. The First Blade sufficiently clean, Rose threw the tablecloth aside. Then she zapped to the little fairytale cottage in the woods.

Sure enough, the Anasazi symbols were drawn all around the house. Crudely, but they were drawn. Rose strained her ears to listen for any sign of a wendigo.

But she didn't hear a thing.

She took a lap around the house, but she didn't see anything. So she stormed inside the little house.

"Gavin, are you sure you heard a wendigo? I don't see a damn sign of one!" Rose threw open the door, marched in, and was heading straight towards Gavin on the couch when she was suddenly pulled back by some unseen force.

"Oh, you're joking." Rose muttered. She looked up at the ceiling above her. Sure enough, there was a devils trap drawn in chalk. "Gavin, honey, you do realize that a little graffiti isn't gonna hold me for long, right?"

"It doesn't have to." Dean walked around the corner.

Rose ground her jaw. "What exactly do you think this is going to accomplish, Dean?"

He didn't answer. In a blink, he pulled a pair of spelled cuffs from his jacket pocket and rushed forward to slap them on the Queen of Hell. He clearly rehearsed the move because Rose didn't have a chance to react.

Crowley was the next person to round the corner, phone in his hand, texting someone.

"What the hell is going on?" Rose seethed.

"What has to be done, love." Crowley answered softly. While Gavin scuffed the trap and Dean kept a tight grip on the girl, Crowley approached the two Winchesters. The house gave a slight shake, then the three were in the Bunker's dungeon.

Sam was kneeling on the floor with a flaming bowl in front of him.

"Clever. I'll give you that. But I won't say it was _smart_." Rose mused.

No one replied to her. Sam jumped to his feet and helped Dean secure Rose to the chair within the devil's trap. Rose struggled and thrashed, but with the spelled cuffs muting her power, she was severely disadvantaged. Castiel - who had been standing by the doorway - rushed forward and aided in securing Rose. When the First Blade fell out of her hands with a clatter, Sam kicked it over to Crowley, who stashed it in his jacket.

It wasn't until her brothers unrolled a collection of syringes that Rose pieced together exactly what they were planning.

"No. You are _not_ going to cure me." Rose fought against the chains binding her. She looked to Crowley who was standing by the doorway. "You're in on this?"

He pressed his lips together and gave a nod. "You aren't you anymore, love."

"So? _I don't care_. I don't _want_ to be cured!"

"You're getting cured either way." Sam jabbed the first needle into her arm. Rose screamed and writhed in agony.

The men all flinched and averted their gaze. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

"You can't do this."

"I can and I will, Rose. You're not a demon. This isn't you, and we're gonna get you back."

"I _am_ a demon. I _like_ being a demon."

Dean didn't respond to her. This wasn't Rose - or so he kept telling himself. He had to do this. He wasn't going to let his baby sister run around as a demon any longer.

"No pathetic human emotions weighing me down. All the power in the world. It's nice - you should try it some time." Rose tugged at the chains as she leaned forward to make her point.

"So what, you like being a demon because you don't have to worry about hating us?" Sam shoved his weight off the wall he had been leaning on.

"Something like that." Rose smirked. "You wanna know why I hate you two?"

Both boys visibly flinched at her words. She hated them. No - this wasn't Rose. It wasn't their sister. This was the demon and the Mark of Cain talking.

"Cause we lied to you?" Dean humored her.

"And do you know why I hate being lied to?" Rose continued when her brothers didn't answer. "Because that was all Dad ever did. He spent my life lying to me - always treating me like a little bitch who couldn't take care of herself."

Dean stormed forward and leaned himself against Rose's chair and in her face. "Don't you _ever_ talk about Dad like that. He took care of you. He loved you more than us. At least he tried to keep you out of the hunting life - you had a shot at a normal life."

"He kept me out of it because he never liked me. You were always his favorite, Dean. You never questioned him. You were a fighter. Me, on the other hand...I only ever looked weak to him. So he lied, and lied, and lied to me. The only reason I got any amount of truth from him was because I went snooping. You two were the only ones I trusted for a long time. Then you went and fucked it all up. So congratulations, little Johns." Rose smirked. She saw the way the boys were grinding their jaws and clenching their fists. She saw them squirm at her words.

What she didn't see was Crowley (who had taken to pacing circles around the room) behind her, watching her with the saddest eyes a demon could convey. He had never known. It was in that moment that he was eternally grateful that he hadn't ever lied to her, that he had never had a reason to lie to her. They were both well aware of what the other did on a daily basis and in the past; they had both been content with each other simply not saying things. There was no need to lie. It was in that moment that Crowley made a silent promise to himself and to Rose that he would never lie to her. Ever.

Rose tugged on the chains again, but no luck. Dean prepped another syringe of human blood.

"They say that after a person dies, everyone skews their memories to make them seem like someone amazing. You two have gone above and beyond making Daddy dearest into Superman, but you seem to forget what he was really like."

"Shut up." Dean growled, then jammed the next needle into Rose's arm.

* * *

Rose groaned, her head hung and her eyes drooped shut. She felt the cold of the chains around her and she heard the faint hum of the light fixtures above her. She felt sore and tired. She tried to stretch, but the chains stopped her. When she looked up, she saw her brothers, their angel, and the King of Hell all standing before her, all watching her carefully.

"No," was the first thing she whispered. As she repeated it, her voice grew louder and louder and louder until she was shouting.

As a precaution, Sam flicked a tablespoon worth of holy water on her face. When she didn't flinch or hiss in pain, the boys smiled in relief.

But Rose was still shouting and struggling against her chains. Her pain and agony echoed through the Bunker. She was in more pain than when she was being injected.

"Why the _hell_ would you cure me?! I didn't _want_ to be cured!" Rose shouted, tears beginning to stream down her face.

"We couldn't just leave you as a demon!" Dean replied.

"You should have! I was happy!" Rose cried. She thrashed against the chains a few more times before they fell silent. She growled: "Unchain me."

"Not until you give me the Mark back."

"Not a chance."

"Rose." Crowley spoke up. "Love, please. Give him the Mark."

Rose pulled up her head to look at the only demon in the room. Through her tears, she managed to whisper: "How could you?"

Crowley watched her with his own sadness beginning to well inside him. "I'll explain, I promise. Just please….give the Mark to Dean. Then I'll tell you everything."

Rose's head fell again. "You aren't gonna let me out unless I do, are you?"

Dean shook his head. "No."

After a sniff and a cough to clear her throat, Rose held out her right arm as best she could, opened her hand wide, and whispered: "Fine. Just get it over with."

Slowly, Dean placed his arm against hers, each of them gripping the other's forearm. The oddly familiar and faint red glow emanated from their arms, and the Mark traveled from one Winchester to the other.

The anger and power left Rose along with the Mark, but it was all transferred to her older brother.

"Now unchain me."

So Dean knelt down behind the chair and undid her bonds.

"What I said…" Rose started.

"We know. It wasn't you." Sam offered a small, reassuring smile.

"No," Rose shook her head. "It was. I meant every word."

Free from her chains, Rose rubbed her wrists and arms and all the sore spots she could reach. Sam bit his cheek. Rose's words stung more than he thought they would. They really had screwed up. But where could it have gone any differently?

"Out." Crowley ordered in a low tone. No one spoke, but Sam, Dean, and Castiel all left the room and slammed the dungeon door behind them.

* * *

**I've been looking forward to this chapter since Rose became a demon. Oh the angst...**

**Anywho, thanks for sticking around! Two more weeks until Season 10 is over. Am I the only one who's worried? Furthermore, I'm maybe halfway through Episode 10 in terms of writing this story, but any ideas or suggestions or requests are very welcome!**

**Just as a warning, since I can't exactly go back and watch full episodes, I'm pretty much going off of transcripts and anything that makes it onto Youtube. Perhaps when Season 10 hits Netflix, I'll go back through and edit.**

**A HUGE thank you to lemonofweirdness and  106 for the reviews yesterday! After two very long and stressful days in the middle of finals weeks, I cannot begin to describe how much that cheered me up!**

**I do not own Supernatural, but I do own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom. As always, any suggestions/requests/advice/criticisms are welcome for this story or any other.**


	20. Chapter 20

_"No," Rose shook her head. "It was. I meant every word."_

_Free from her chains, Rose rubbed her wrists and arms and all the sore spots she could reach. Sam bit his cheek. Rose's words stung more than he thought they would. They really had screwed up. But where could it have gone any differently?_

_"Out." Crowley ordered in a low tone. No one spoke, but Sam, Dean, and Castiel all left the room and slammed the dungeon door behind them._

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY**

**In which Rose speaks her mind at last**

(Written to: Ever Mine by Jessica Curry from Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=W_xzxZ4XXoU#Amnesia%3A_A_Machine_For_Pigs_OST_-_Ever_Mine

* * *

"Rose…" She didn't say anything. She was too busy biting back tears. "Could you at least step out of the devil's trap?"

Rose slowly pushed herself from the chair and to her feet. She walked just out of the devil's trap before stopping again. Crowley approached her, but didn't hug her just yet.

"I'm sorry, Flower. I didn't mean to hurt you, but I needed you back. Give me five minutes to explain."

Rose remained silent, but she nodded, still refusing to make eye contact with him.

Crowley sighed. "It pains me to say it, but they boys were right. You weren't you. You weren't _my_ Rose - the Rose I fell in love with."

Rose snapped up to look at the demon. Her tears froze in her eyes. "Love?"

'_Blast it all. Damn humanity._' Crowley berated himself. He nodded.

"You….love me?"

"Of course I do, you loony woman."

Instead of the smile she should've had on her face, Rose convulsed in a sob. Crowley caught her before she fell to her knees and he held her tightly to him. Rose gripped his sleeve with one hand and her other hand wound its way onto the lapel of his jacket.

"I'm so sorry."

"For what, love?"

Rose laughed through another sob. "I just didn't want them to kill you. That's why I took the Mark of Cain from Dean. I didn't want you to die. I thought - I thought if I could clean up their mess and save you, then I could just get on with my life and they would leave me alone."

Crowley sighed and ran a hand through Rose's tangled, brunette locks as she sobbed into his chest.

"And I was so blinded by….everything. What I said when they were curing me….I didn't mean it all, but I meant a lot of it. All my dad did was lie to me, and all I did was hate him. When he died...I felt so awful that I never once thanked him. After I found out how much he hid from me and lied to me about and treated me like I was weak, I stopped telling him I loved him. When he died...I just couldn't take it, so I ran. That's what I do. I guess that's why Dad always liked Dean and Sam best. They don't run."

"Then I suppose you shouldn't let history repeat itself." Crowley replied softly. Rose's sobs calmed. She sniffed, then nodded in the depths of his jacket.

"I hate it when you're right."

He chuckled quietly, holding her tighter. They stood like that, embracing, letting the other feel their feels, for what seem like hours.

"Rose?"

"Yeah?"

"There's something else. Actually, two somethings. Maybe three. But the most recent one is the real reason I had to enlist Rocky and Bullwinkle to cure you."

Rose sniffed, still buried in Crowley's arms. "What happened?"

"Do you remember that witch you snagged from the whorehouse?"

"Course."

"Her name is Rowena."

Rose pulled back from Crowley's embrace to look him in the eye. "Rowena...as in…?"

He nodded, a visible grimace coating his face. "My mother."

Rose leaned forward again and placed her forehead on his chest. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"I can't deal with her alone. I…"

"I know."

That was all she needed to say. She understood now. The same way she took the Mark to protect Crowley because she needed him in a way she had yet to understand, he helped trap and cure her because he needed her in a way he had yet to understand.

"Um…" Rose cleared her throat, pulled her head away, and fumbled with trying to dry her face. "What are the other things?"

Crowley kissed her forehead. "It can wait, Flower."

Rose nodded absentmindedly. "Before we go...I need to talk to my brothers."

"Of course." Crowley loosened his arms around her.

"Hey, um…" Rose swallowed hard, meeting Crowley's eyes. After a small sniff and another wipe of her drying tears, Rose spoke. "I love you, too."

Crowley planted another kiss on her forehead. He hadn't picture any of that happening the way it just had, but it made him happy nevertheless. Without another word, Rose took his hand and together they left the dungeon and headed for the library.

The Winchester brothers and Castiel hadn't exchanged a single word since they left the dungeon. Had Rose really meant what she said? That whole time, they told themselves over and over again that it wasn't her - but what if it was?

"Guys." Her voice was soft and worn from crying. Sam and Dean snapped up from their absentminded drink swirling to look at her.

Rose's face was flush, puffy, and glistening with still-drying tears. Her eyes were as red as the Mark of Cain that had once taken residence on her arm.

"I'm sorry." Rose barely managed to say the words without breaking into a fresh sob.

Sam and Dean exchanged sorrowful glances before Sam replied: "We are too."

Dean pulled out a chair beside him and motioned for their sister to take it. She moved slowly, but Rose took the offer.

She sniffed and ran the back of her hand under her nose. "The things I said...I didn't mean all of it. I can't ever forgive the lies Dad fed me, and I don't think I can forgive you guys any time soon, but...I spent the rest of his life hating him, and I can't do that to you. So...I'm still gonna be pissed and all and I'm gonna give you grief for a long time...but we're still family. And family's got each others' backs.

"If you promise that you won't ever lie to me again, then I promise I won't kill you. Which...I am sorry about almost killing you when I was a demon."

Dean offered a half smile and rested his hand on her back. "Don't worry about it, Rosie."

Sam nodded in agreement. "You have our word. We learned our lesson. And if something comes up, we'll call you, okay? We promise."

Rose sniffled. "I mean it. If you break that promise….I'll - well, I'll probably just beat you up until you can't see anymore."

Sam chuckled. Dean, however, bit his lip.

"Rose...I think there's something you should see." He stood up and walked out of the library. "I'll be right back."

Neither of the Winchester twins knew what their older brother was doing. But in the heavy silence that followed his departure, Rose turned to Cas. She stood from the table, made her way to the angel, and pulled him into a gentle hug.

"This applies to you too, Cas. Although, my brothers probably threatened you to keep your mouth shut…" Rose mustered a small laugh at the thought. "You're family, too, you know. A pretty great part, if you ask me. Just don't let those two idiots push you around too much."

Castiel chuckled and awkwardly patted the girl's back. Rose offered a smile, then walked back to her seat just as Dean returned. Crowley had taken up residence in the seat beside Sam.

"Is that...Dad's journal?" Rose asked, sitting down.

"Yeah." Dean replied, flipping through the pages. Having found what he was looking for, he pushed the journal across the table until it rested in front of his sister.

Rose set her hands on either side of the well-worn journal. Whatever she had been expecting, it certainly wasn't what she saw.

Rose found herself staring at a single page all about her - John's little princess. There were several photographs of them together paperclipped onto the pages. There were little entries written on the back of the pictures about the adorable things she did as a kid. He had been so happy with his little girl. He wrote about how she teased her brothers, how she used to sit on his lap and pretend to drive the Impala, how she loved the stuffed frog he had won for her at a carnival, how she used to get ice cream all over her face. He had stuffed several loose pieces of paper within the neighboring pages, and they were all drawings she had given him.

On the page itself, there was one lonely entry about Rose. He had written it just after she found out about monsters and why they never stayed in one town for very long. He knew that she wasn't likely to forgive him anytime soon. He had only hoped that one day she would see that he just wanted to protect her. He didn't like the idea of his little princess being afraid. He knew that she would become an excellent fighter just like her brothers - maybe even better - but she would always be his little princess whose safety and happiness meant the world to him.

Fresh tears pooled in her eyes and stung her. Rose shoved the book away and bit her lip so hard she drew blood. Dean pulled her into a hug.

"I really fucked up." Rose mumbled, her tears started to fall. She sniffed. "I was too busy focusing on him lying to me that I….I never stopped to think - he loved me…and all I did was hate him…"

No one said a word. Rose did her best to keep from sobbing, but she couldn't control the silent tears dripping down her cheeks.

After what felt like hours, Rose cleared her throat and sat up. "I...I forgive you guys."

Sam shook his head. "You shouldn't. We shouldn't have lied."

"But I get why you did it. There were a million different ways you could've gone about it, but I get it. So...I forgive you. I can't screw up with you guys the same way I did with Dad. So just...accept it, would you?"

Sam made his way around the table and hugged his sister. Rose reached out an arm and tugged Dean over to join their hug.

"Cas, don't think you're safe from this. Get over here." Rose called out. Slowly and unsurely, the angel made his way over and awkwardly joined their hug.

Then suddenly, Rose burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Castiel asked.

"I just - I mean look at us! Frickin' group-hugging and getting all sappy! What has the world come to?" Sam caught her laughter, then Dean. Even Crowley smiled from his seat.

After her brothers and Cas let go and all wandered back to their seats, Rose made her way to the King of Hell.

"Ready, love?" He asked, pushing himself to his feet.

"Yeah." She nodded and gave a small smile. As he wrapped an arm around her, Rose turned to other three. "Hey, um...thanks. For not giving up on me."

"That's what family's for, Rose." Dean smiled and gave a nod. They were alright. The Winchesters were alright again.

Rose smiled in return, then they were gone.

* * *

**And that concludes the angst. For now. I'm not gonna lie, I cried a lot while writing this, and the music didn't help.**

**On a happier note! The 'special' for Chapter 20 will be going up in a moment under the name 'The Cunning Little Tailor.'**

**The next few chapters will move quickly as I get some stuff out of the way without dragging it out, so prepare yourselves.**

**In addition, I've been working on writing out my ideas for that other story I mentioned, and I might start posting some of it soon if I'm content with it. If you have any songs that you dearly love or remind you of Supernatural or its characters, I would greatly appreciate it if you could send them my way.**

**I do not own Supernatural, I only own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom. As always, any suggestions/requests/advice/criticisms are always welcome and appreciated!**


	21. Chapter 21

_"Ready, love?" He asked, pushing himself to his feet._

_"Yeah." She nodded and gave a small smile. As he wrapped an arm around her, Rose turned to other three. "Hey, um...thanks. For not giving up on me."_

_"That's what family's for, Rose." Dean smiled and gave a nod. They were alright. The Winchesters were alright again._

_Rose smiled in return, then they were gone._

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY ONE**

**In which Crowley finishes his explanation**

(Written to: Stay With Me (Instrumental) by Stephen Sondheim from Into the Woods)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=IYp0dYpXKdk#Into_The_Woods_-_Stay_With_Me_(Instrumental)_(Audio)

* * *

"I figured Gavin might like to see you, then I'll finish explaining."

"So much for just five minutes, huh?" Rose mused, but headed into the cottage anyway.

Gavin looked up from his lore book to greet the new arrivals.

"Rose!" He beamed and stood from his seat.

"Hey, Gavin." She smiled back. Laughing, Gavin bolted over to hug her.

"Oh, it's so good to have you back!"

"It's, um...it's good to be back." When the two split their embrace, the first thing Rose said was: "How have you been? Has he been taking care of you?"

"Do I think I'd let the boy starve? I'm a demon, not the devil." Crowley retorted.

"Debatable." Rose quipped with a faint smirk. "I believe you still owe me an explanation."

"Of course, love. Why don't I take you out for dinner, and I'll explain it there?"

Rose raised her brow, a corner of her mouth following suit. Eventually, she nodded. "Alright."

Then she turned to Gavin. "You gonna be alright?"

"Of course I will! I can't say my cooking is wonderful, but I can manage."

Rose giggled. "Then we'll just bring something back for you if you can wait."

Gavin returned her smile. He was glad to see her happy again. "Alright, but don't rush on my account."

"Ready now, Flower?" Crowley asked, extending a hand. Rose accepted it with a nod.

When slight jerking feeling ended, Rose looked around. They were standing just outside a little cafe at the edge of a city facing the Aegean Sea. But it wasn't just any cafe - Rose knew this one all too well. It was her favorite restaurant in the whole world. And she had been to a great deal over the past few years.

"Someone's feeling sentimental." Rose commented as the sea breeze brushed through her short, brown hair. The smell of the nearby sea instantly made a smile grow on her face.

"We can go somewhere else, if you prefer." Crowley sassed right back.

"Not a chance!" Rose stuck her tongue out in the most mature manner. Crowley chuckled, then led her to an outdoor table beneath an umbrella.

He smiled. He was happy to have his Rose back, and he was even more happy that she was happy - or was at least well on her way.

Crowley waved to one of the waiters, who instantly scurried inside with a smile to put in their usual orders.

"I'm still waiting." Rose smiled coyly. "Apparently there are two _other_ reasons you wanted me cured, and then I want to hear about this deal with your mother."

"You already know about my mother."

"Yes, but I don't know what you plan to do with her."

Crowley huffed. "I haven't figured that out myself."

"Alright, so we figure it out together." Her smile hadn't faded yet, which surprised even her. She was glad to have gotten all of those emotions and words off her chest. She was glad that she had her brothers again. "Now finish up your story."

"Well, first off, you were a bit reckless. Slaughtered nearly a third of my demons!"

"Yeah…" Rose rubbed the back of her neck and bit her lip. "Sorry about that."

"I mean a good portion of them deserved it, but now I'm down a significant number."

Rose feigned an innocent smile. "So what else?"

The waiter came over with a glass of water for Rose and a glass of Craig for the King of Hell. She thanked him before he walked away.

Crowley took a moment to fumble for words - something extremely rare for him.

"If it's that bad, you can tell me later." Rose's smile was exchanged for concern. Was is something she had done? Was it so awful that _Crowley_ of all people couldn't find the words to express it?

"No, it's not bad." He tapped his fingers on his glass. "I've just...been doing some thinking is all."

"Thinking? Oh my. That's a dangerous pastime, you know." Rose snickered.

Crowley attempted a bitch face in response to her Disney reference. "Yes, love, I know."

He stuffed a hand in his pocket, fumbling for its contents. "Forgive me if I go about this wrong. Emotions and sentiment aren't exactly my strong suit."

"Oh, but you do it so well!" Rose laughed. Her laughing faded quickly when she noticed his strangely serious expression that hadn't budged an inch. "What exactly have you been thinking about?"

"You. Us." Crowley replied slowly. Rose raised a brow, but allowed him to continue. "When you met Gavin, and we had that small discussion about us...it got me thinking. We've been...together for almost five years now. Five years next month. And you're the Queen of Hell - _my_ queen. So I figured...perhaps we really need to discuss...us. Make it all official."

"Okay, well...um…" Rose trailed off. She had no idea where to start. As she recalled, this is exactly where the conversation went last time: neither of them knew what to say or even how to begin.

"And as you always say, we figure things out together. Actually, Gavin brought to my attention that we work well together. To quote your insufferable brothers, before they came along, it was you and me against the world."

Rose scrunched her brows. "Where exactly are you going with this?"

Crowley sighed. He was normally so good with words. The damn humanity and the damn girl sitting across from him would be the death of him one day.

Carefully, he pulled the small little box from his left pocket, peeled it open, gingerly removed its contents, then set the box aside. He rested both his forearms on the table and held the little object tightly between his fingers. He held it out in the open for his queen to see.

It was a little ring.

Rose sat up straight and stared down at the gorgeous, clearly vintage ring.

"Are you….asking me to marry you?" She gaped.

Crowley huffed a little laugh. "I suppose I am."

Rose kept an eye on the ring. It was a rose quartz set in a soft, pinkish gold surrounded by twenty little diamonds. The band itself had a least a dozen or two diamonds of the same size on either side of the faintly pink gem. Not only did the sentimental bastard get her a ring that had a gem that shared her name, he remembered the way she scoffed at the stereotypical gifts and jewelry women so often received.

"Then," Rose smiled. "I suppose I will."

Crowley went from worried to shocked to grinning in a matter of seconds. He took Rose's left hand in his own, the gently slid the little ring onto her finger. Rose giggled, reached across the table, and kissed Crowley with more passion than she had in the last four months.

If they waiter hadn't shown up just then with their food, they would have stay like that for another five minutes.

Laughing, Rose settled back down into her seat to put her napkin in her lap. They smiled as they ate. Rose was oddly ravenous, so it was a good few minutes before she slowed down enough to talk.

"That was Gavin's idea, wasn't it?" Rose teased.

"In part. What gave it away?"

"You're not a romantic. Or one for this mushy human crap." Rose smiled and took another bite.

"No, but I am one for marking what's mine." Crowley replied, smirking. Rose just laughed, and Crowley noticed how her eyes twinkled in the midafternoon light. She was oddly okay with that, so long as she got to mark Crowley as her's.

"So does this mean we have to plan a wedding now?"

Crowley laughed. "If you want, love."

Rose smiled. "Let's just….get married!"

Crowley smirked. "Just elope? Oh my, what would your dear brothers think of that?"

"To hell with them!" She tossed her hand around for emphasis. "I mean, I love 'em and all, but it's my decision. Besides, you really think they'd be okay with this all in the first place?"

"Fair point."

"Oh, but you'll need a ring too, mister. If you get to put a ring on me, then I'm damn well putting one on you." Rose remarked, taking another bite.

Crowley all but howled with laughter. He was very glad to have his flower back.

"So what, we find a nice chapel or courthouse and elope tonight?"

Rose rolled her eyes. "Please. We rule Hell. I don't think we need a legal marriage."

"Yet another fair point. Then, pray tell, what do you have in mind?"

Rose shrugged. "I'll figure it out as I go."

After another happy moment of silence in which she continued to stuff her face with her favorite food, Rose dared to bring up the earlier topic.

"While I figure out how to get you a ring, we may as well discuss your mother."

Crowley pursed his lips. "Alright."

"So...do you want to get rid of her? Keep her around? Give her another chance?"

He sighed. "Honestly, I don't know. I suppose my first thought was to talk to her. Although I can't say I'll be very keen on listening to what the old witch has to say."

Rose chewed on her next bite thoughtfully. "She's...how many centuries old now?"

"At least three."

"She's a natural-born witch, isn't she?"

Crowley nodded. "Dare I ask how you know?"

"In my experience, the natural-borns live longer and are more talented. From what I remember about the whorehouse, she's damn good. Tried to gank me with one of her little hex bags. Did a number on Raul."

Crowley shifted in his seat, blinking in realization. That was it. That was his answer - his solution.

While Rose was lost in thought of her own, Crowley vocalized his.

"Rose, love…" Crowley leaned forward in his seat. "If there was a way for you to live forever with me, would you do it?"

Rose knit her brows. "It depends. Does it cost any innocent lives?"

"A life or two, yes, but certainly not innocent ones."

Rose licked her lips then bit her bottom lip in thought. "What exactly are you getting at?"

Crowley sighed. Looks like he still had more explaining to do. "While you weren't you as a demon, I didn't entirely want you cured because I'd get to have you forever. So I did some research of my own on the matter, looking for the answer to the age old question of immortality."

"And?"

"I believe I've just found my solution."

"You gonna tell me any time soon?" Rose sassed.

Crowley lowered his voice to explain. "I can transfer a witch's power to you. A natural-born's. It would be like you were born with it yourself."

Rose had no answer just yet, so Crowley continued. "Of course, I'd have to find the spell, but I know where it is. And I think I have just the witch to get the job done."

"So it'd be sacrificing her for me?" Rose gnawed on her lip.

"It's just a transfer of power. She'd get to live out the rest of her life as a human. It'd be letting her off easy if you ask me."

"And this witch buddy of yours...does she hurt people? Innocent people?"

"She does."

Rose took a deep breath, then nodded. "Alright. I'll do it."

Crowley smiled, then took her hand in his own, running his thumb along her knuckles and the beautiful ring that resided there.

"Then consider it a wedding gift."

"So we do that, then you talk to your mother?"

"I want you there as well." Crowley answered.

"You sure?"

"Of course I'm sure! I'm always sure!"

"Sometimes." Rose smirked.

"Most of the time." Crowley muttered back.

"So then we'll talk to your mother together."

"Together. I like the sound of that." Crowley gave a smug smile.

Rose snorted. "Well you better, cause you're kinda stuck with me now. Nagging wife and all."

With an oddly genuine glint in his eye, Crowley replied: "I wouldn't have it any other way."

* * *

**I wasn't entirely happy with this chapter, but after rewriting it twice, I think it turned out alright! Just a few more quickly paced bits.**

**I could still use some songs if y'all have them. Any favorite song, any song you've heard on the radio, any song from a musical or Disney movie, and any song that reminds you of Supernatural or its characters.**

**I do not own Supernatural. I only own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom. As always, any suggestions/requests/advice/criticisms are welcome and appreciated!**

**_SPOILER ALERT BELOW IF YOU'RE NOT CAUGHT UP WITH SEASON 10!_**

**So uh...yeah I'll be changing last night's episode when I catch up to that in writing. No way am I going through that again. No, no. Not happening. I'm severely worried for the next two episodes. They've already said the finale is going to be worse than Swan Song, and Dean shooting in the Bunker is never good...**


	22. Chapter 22

_"Together. I like the sound of that." Crowley gave a smug smile._

_Rose snorted. "Well you better, cause you're kinda stuck with me now. Nagging wife and all."_

_With an oddly genuine glint in his eye, Crowley replied: "I wouldn't have it any other way."_

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY TWO**

**In which the King and Queen get married**

(Written to: Somewhere in Time by John Barry from Somewhere in Time)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=lN6hlwmuMjs#Somewhere_in_Time_OST_-_01_-_Somewhere_in_Time

* * *

Before heading back to the cottage, Rose had convinced Crowley to drop her off at a jewelry store in Chicago. While she had been eating, she remembered walking past that particular store several times during her stay in the big city. She had wandered in once or twice just to look, seeing as she had never properly looked at jewelry before.

So Crowley left her to do her thing, opting to sit out of the shopping process. Although, it hadn't taken Rose long to settle on a thick, dark titanium band, etched with a design that reminded Rose of the texture of a sponge. After making her purchase, Rose walked the familiar streets of the windy city towards her old apartment.

She wasn't sure what she was expecting to see. Perhaps a few cobwebs and a truckload of dust, but she hadn't seen it in what felt like ages. As she climbed the stairs and walked down the hall to her door, she dug out her keys from her pocket and unlocked the door. Crowley had been gracious enough to fix it via his demonic powers after her brothers so rudely kicked it in.

Smiling at the memory, Rose pushed open the door. It gave a low creak as it swung open, then shut behind her. Sure enough, there was a nice layer of dust settled on everything, but otherwise it looked just the way she had left it.

Rose dropped her keys on the kitchen counter beside her and mulled through the little apartment.

"I had a feeling you'd be here." Crowley called from the couch, holding his typical glass of Craig.

Rose sighed. "So much for living in Chicago anymore."

The demon placed his glass down on the table and rose to his feet. "You could always move back in. Just...clean the place up a bit and it's good as new."

"I skipped out on this place months ago. I called work to tell them I would be on vacation for a week and never came back. They've probably given me up for dead." Rose ran a finger along the counter, leaving a trail of dust-free laminate. "Besides, I have the cottage now. And I have a feeling I'm going to be spending a lot of time in Hell."

Rose made her way over to Crowley who wrapped his arms around her waist. She leaned her head against his chest and draped her arms around him.

"You know, five years ago, when I brought you home all bloody and dying, I never once thought that..._any_ of what happened would."

"Do you wish it hadn't?" Crowley ran a hand down her hair.

"Not for a second. I loved every moment." Rose smiled, her mind racing with memories. "Remember the time I made you watch Disney movies with me?"

"That was a rather unpleasant 18 hours."

"Aw, but you loved it. I heard you humming Beauty and the Beast when I went to grab more popcorn."

"I wasn't humming anything."

"Sure you weren't." Giggling, Rose planted a soft kiss on his lips.

A sly smile dancing across his face, Crowley asked: "So were you successful?"

"I was." Rose dug the little velvet bag from her pocket and retrieved the ring from its depths. She held the ring in her right hand and set the bag aside. Still in Crowley's arms, Rose turned to him. "So...do we say vows or something?"

"Alright. Well…" Crowley cleared his throat. "Should I go with the regular old 'I take you to be my wife?'"

Rose snickered. "That seems awfully traditional."

"Then what would you like me to vow to you?"

"Hm," Rose scrunched her lips in thought. What exactly do a demon and a soon-to-be witch vow to each other when they get married? Not to mention the rulers of Hell! Yet here they were, standing in her apartment, getting hitched, reminiscing over their time spent in the confined quarters - over all the tears, blood, cheesy jokes, movie marathons, contagious laughter, messes, crazy sex, shouting, conversing about Hell, exchanging stories, and horrible singing and dancing that they shared in this little Chicago apartment.

Rose was reminded of what Crowley said before their food arrived. It was them against the world for so long. They worked well together. Between the two of them (not counting the time Rose spent as a demon), they kept Hell running smoothly.

"Well...let's vow that...it's us against the world - for better or for worse. We'll always face things together and have each other's backs." Rose started.

"And never lie to one another. I can't say things won't be hidden, but there won't be any lying between us."

Rose's eyes glittered. "No lying."

"I vow to always protect you," Crowley played with the rose quartz ring on his bride's hand. "And to satisfy you every night that I'm available."

Rose smacked his shoulder playfully. "I don't think _that_ should be part of wedding vows!"

"Why not?" Crowley smirked.

"Because it - I -" Rose sighed then barked a laugh. "Alright, alright."

Then she mumbled: "That's so you." Raising her voice to return to an audible level, Rose echoed: "Not that you'll accept it all the time, but I vow to protect you as well. And I guess return the nightly satisfaction"

A flicker of disapproval floated through Crowley's expression as he was reminded of the lengths she had already gone to in order to protect him, but nevertheless, he nodded. Rose took his left hand and placed his ring on it. Then, smirking as widely as his meatsuit was capable of, he began to sass: "Now, may I ki-"

"Just shut up and kiss me." Rose grabbed him by his jacket and pulled his lips to hers. Their lips collided in deprived passion. Crowley wound a hand through his bride's hair and used the other to pull Rose's body flush against his.

* * *

Gavin knew they were back when he heard Rose's infectious laughter echoing through the empty woods. They'd been gone a lot longer than he thought they would, but he tossed aside his lore book on his bed and rushed down to meet his father and new stepmother. As he bolted down the stairs, he heard their faint conversation.

"Where would you like to go for our honeymoon, Flower?"

"Oh god, I hadn't even thought about that."

"I'd like to leave the big man upstairs out of our little vacation, thank you."

Rose rolled her eyes. "Well, we'll have to postpone it. We have your mother to deal with."

"That witch can wait."

Rose tossed him a signature Winchester bitch face.

"Alright, alright. But first, we deal with you."

"That was already the plan." Rose ever-so-maturely stuck her tongue out at him when Gavin rushed into the room. He looked between the two with an ever growing smile on his face.

"Hey, Gavin! I hope you like Greek food." Rose raised the styrofoam container in her hand. The boy walked forward and - instead of taking the food like she thought he would - he scooped Rose up in a great big hug.

"Well someone's excited." Crowley snickered.

"I told you you'd be my stepmother!" Gavin exclaimed, letting Rose go. He took the box of food from her.

"I suppose you did." Rose smiled, flashing back to when she met the young Scot. He certainly had.

"Well," Crowley loosed the arm he had around his wife's waist. "I guess I'll be off to fetch your wedding present."

"You sure?" Rose turned to look at him.

"Better sooner rather than later. However, while I'm gone, I expect you to be thinking about where you want to honeymoon."

Rose laughed. "Alright, but I can't promise I'll come up with anything anytime soon."

"Fair enough." Crowley gave her a kiss before unwinding his grip around her.

"Try not to get into too much trouble." Rose smiled. Crowley froze for a second. He had missed her saying that. He missed the little things about her, but now he had them all back - and they were all his forevermore.

With a wink and a smirk, he replied: "No promises."

Then he was gone. Rose sighed through a smile. It was a happy sigh - a content one. For the first time in a long while, she felt at peace. Things were working out. She had hit a considerable rough patch when she decided to take the Mark of Cain, but things were looking up now. The joy behind her smiles was real, and she was cherishing every second of it because she knew - being a Winchester and all - that it wouldn't last forever. But she was content having this night.

Gavin had already gone to fetch a fork and was chowing down on his meal, so Rose excused herself to step outside. Standing beside the masonry well, Rose fished her phone from her pocket, punched in a few numbers, then held it to her ear.

"Rose? Hey! What's going on?" Sam's voice resonated through the little piece of technology.

"Just checking in on you two. How is everything?"

"Pretty good so far. Dean seems to be handling the Mark alright for now."

"Keep a close eye on him alright? I know he likes to act tough, but that thing's brutal."

"Of course, Rosie." Sam cleared his throat. "Hey, uh...not that it's gonna help much, but you should know - back before Dean lost it and you...we made the decision that we won't kill Crowley."

With a sniff, Rose replied: "Thank you. That's, um - thank you."

"But we're counting on you to keep him in line."

"Yeah, alright, Sammy." Rose barked a laugh. "You guys on a case?"

"Actually we just got a call from Jody. She got suckered into a sheriff's retreat and - just her luck - a few bodies turned up. So we're gonna head out there and check it out."

"Whatcha huntin'?"

"Not sure yet. Hopefully we'll find out soon." Rose heard Dean's gruff voice mumble through the speaker. "Hey, Rose, I gotta go."

"Alright. Be careful, Sammy. And keep an eye on Dean."

"You got it, Rosie."

The line clicked off, and Rose hung up on her end. She stuffed the phone back in her pocket and sighed. Leaning against the edge of the well, Rose looked up at the clear, starry sky.

Things were good for now, and Rose could only hope it would last a little while longer. Knowing her luck, it wouldn't last more than a week, especially with Rowena's return. But a girl could hope and wish upon a star that her happiness wouldn't be taken from her.

* * *

The only light in the faintly dusted parlor was the fire flickering in the fireplace. It cast an eerie glow on the old sofa and armchair. Small cobwebs were beginning to form along the edges of the stained glass lamps. Aside from the ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner and the crackling of the air trapped within the burning logs, the room was silent.

The owner of the poorly-kept house strolled into the room intent on unwinding by the warmth of the fire with a steaming cup of Earl Grey tea. As she settled onto the sofa, her black hair falling around her with grace, she failed to notice the dark, looming figure in the shadows beside the fireplace.

When the king of Hell stepped forward, the woman's reaction time was stunted by surprise.

"Hello, Victoria."

* * *

**I hope you're enjoying the fluff, because Rose is about to dive right back into angst soon. C'est la vie.**

**I am officially done with the semester! Hopefully I will be able to crank out some more (decent) chapters and catch up to Season 10 with this story relatively soon!**

**I am still looking for songs if you have any suggestions! They play a huge role in my next story, so if you have any songs you really like, any songs that remind you of Supernatural or its characters, or any songs from a favorite musical, please send them my way!**

**I do not own Supernatural, but I do own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom. As always, any requests/suggestions/advice/corrections/criticisms are welcome and appreciated!**


	23. Chapter 23

_When the king of Hell stepped forward, the woman's reaction time was stunted by surprise._

_"Hello, Victoria."_

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY THREE**

**In which Rose becomes a witch**

(Written to: The Deathly Hallows by Alexandre Desplat from HP and the Deathly Hallows Part 1)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=apkCeMnYDE0#22_-_The_Deathly_Hallows_-_Harry_Potter_and_the_Deathly_Hallows_Soundtrack_(Alexandre_Desplat)

* * *

"Who are you?" The dark haired witch stood her ground.

"Pity. I thought you might remember me." Crowley replied with a stern expression.

"Why exactly would I remember you if I've never met you?" Victoria sat on the edge of her old and worn sofa.

"So you don't remember that little boy you took in? Say around….300 years ago? The little boy you found abandoned on the side of the road? The one that you beat senseless every night?" The demon spat, his teeth gritted and his eyes burning with loathing.

Victoria's expression instantly fell. "That's not possible. Fergus died centuries ago."

"_Fergus_ died, yes. But his soul was merely...transformed." Crowley retorted, still standing in the same spot at the edge of the shadows. The orange glow of the fire illuminated his profile.

"So what - you've come to return the favor? Beat me?" Victoria rose to her feet, her feigned kind demeanor swiftly slipping into mocking rage.

Then Crowley grinned. But it wasn't a joyful grin or even a victorious grin - it was a grin of pure malicious intent. "Better yet. I've come to make sure you never get the chance to hurt anyone ever again."

And before another word could be spoken, Crowley forcefully grabbed the witch by the arm and zapped away without a trace.

* * *

Rose stood outside what she could only call a dungeon room, pacing a hole in the floor. She had one arm crossed over her plaid shirt and gray tshirt while the other hung and fidgeted with her fingers. She was gnawing on her lip all the while.

Crowley had taken the night to fetch the witch and Rose slept better that night than she had in months - probably because Crowley had given her quite the workout before they went back to the cottage. Gavin, of course, was in love with the idea of having Rose as a mother (or at least a mother figure). She had been nothing but kind to him and it made him feel like he belonged. Getting ripped from his time by a knight of Hell was easily the best thing that had happened to him in his entire life.

Rose had spent the early morning listening to his tales of how he spent the last three months. He had done a considerable amount of research on all things supernatural, though his sigil-drawing still needed improvement. Gavin was looking forward to being able to train with her again. His father hadn't been terribly keen on teaching him how to fight, but had supplied him with plenty of reading material - research or not.

Crowley had shown up just after breakfast, spent a few minutes with his new wife and his son, then whisked her away to one of his mansion hideouts in the American countryside. Which is now where Rose found herself, pacing, mind running marathons, waiting for Crowley to give her the okay to enter the dungeon-like room.

"All set, love." He pulled the door open for Rose. When she didn't make a move to enter, he instead joined her and shut the door behind him. "What's the matter?"

"I just…" Rose sighed and looked up at the ceiling above her. "I realized that if I do this, I'm gonna live for a _long_ time. I'm gonna have to watch my brothers die - watch Gavin die - and I'm gonna have to keep going without them."

"So you would rather I have to watch you die and go on without _you_?" Crowley replied, taking Rose's hand in his own. Rose watched him with solemn eyes.

"I don't know. It didn't occur to me before, but….I mean for me to live forever while they grow old and die…" Rose trailed off, gnawing at her lip again.

"It's not irreversible, love. If you decide you want to change your mind, I can always perform the spell again." Crowley ran a thumb over her knuckles. "Or if your brothers or Gavin decide that they want in on it too, you can perform it yourself."

Rose sighed and pulled herself into Crowley's embrace. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and took a deep breath. Crowley wrapped his arms around her tightly.

"Alright." Rose nodded into his skin. "I'm gonna have to go visit them at some point. Or at least call and tell them everything. If I'm expecting them to call for important stuff, I can't very well be a hypocrite."

"You could be. It might not be the wisest thing to do, but you could."

Rose rolled her eyes. "No, I can't. I'll call them in a bit."

"Define 'a bit.'"

"I don't know." Rose sighed. Her nerves were still setting her on edge, and she was doing everything she could to keep them in check.

Crowley didn't push her on it. She would call when she was ready. In truth, Rose was actually worried about how her brothers would take it. Their sister married to the king of Hell? And a witch? She could imagine the lectures now...

"What about this witch? You said she hurt people right? Abused her power?" Rose gnawed on her lip, pressing her eyes closed to collect herself.

"More than you know." Was his answer.

"Something I should know about?"

After a moment of silence and a surprisingly large breath, Crowley replied: "In due time."

"You ready then, Flower?"

"As I'll ever be."

So the pair at last entered the dungeon-esque room.

Inside, a middle-aged woman was bound to a sturdy, metal chair. She appeared thoroughly beaten and weak. There were bruises across her body and blood matted in her hair. She didn't even stir when Rose entered the room.

Her black hair draped around her face and upper body like a veil. Her ghostly, pale skin reflected the bright lights the way the moon reflects the sun. A deep purple strip of velvet had been wrapped around both of her arms, and a bowl of various (and Rose assumed rare) spell ingredients was laying at her feet. Both of her palms had been split open.

Rose sat down on the second metal chair across from the black-haired witch. Crowley took Rose's right hand, cut a thin line across the palm, then took the purple velvet on the witch's left arm. He set his wife's bleeding hand in the witch's and wrapped the fabric over their joined hands and Rose's forearm. He repeated the same process for the other side.

As Rose looked around, she noticed the white symbols painted on the floor. She recognized one as the symbol for the Grand Coven and one that looked a variation of a binding spell. All of the other sigils and symbols were completely new and foreign to her. She also noticed that those same symbols had been embroidered on the purple velvet.

Crowley poured one last ingredient into the bowl, and it instantly lit on fire. Rose felt the witch tighten the grip on her hands for dear life, trying to suppress her grunts of pain. In that moment, Rose was frightened. She saw the grimace of agony on the woman's face.

However, she didn't have long to worry because the pain was soon upon her. She felt it start as a tingling in her fingertips, then her knuckles, then her palms, then her wrists. The tingling traveled from her fingertips to her heart, then from there it spread to her head and toes. While it moved and spread, wherever it had been, it remained.

The tingling changed to pins and needles as if her whole body had 'fallen asleep.' Rose's heartbeat slowed dangerously. She felt her fingers beginning to go cold despite the beads of sweat forming on her brow. The pins and needles grew and grew and grew until it felt like she was being repeatedly hit with dodgeballs.

Rose felt her head hang. She squeezed her eyes shut and her toes curled in her Converse. She gritted her teeth as the dodgeballs morphed into sledgehammers. Her heart was still slowing yet she heard it pounding in her ears. The room started to spin and Rose felt her stomach churning-

Then it all stopped. The fire in the bowl vanished. The pain disappeared. The room was solid. Her heart rate was normal and healthy. Rose felt as if she had never experienced a lick of discomfort in the entire six minutes. She opened her eyes and looked up at the black-haired woman, then to Crowley, who had a somewhat amusing expression of concern on his face.

"Gee, thanks for the warning." Rose mumbled. Her voice was surprisingly clear and calm after what she had just experienced.

"It's not like I've ever used that spell before. I didn't exactly know _what_ to expect." Crowley retorted, already working on unbinding the two women. "Are you alright?"

"Peachy. Well...I mean I'm completely fine now." Rose muttered, rubbing her wrists once they were free.

Crowley helped her to her feet, surreptitiously checking every inch of her for injury. Finding none, he ran a ran through her hair.

"Honest, I'm fine." Rose offered a smile.

"Alright." He nodded. "Well, I have some things to clean up, then we can head home."

* * *

For the next two weeks, Rose tinkered around with her new powers. While she already knew a great deal of spells thanks to the hunting life and the king of Hell, Rose was insistent on learning everything she could. So, naturally, she pestered Crowley until he brought her some spellbooks to memorize.

Crowley and Gavin spent a good deal of time indoors listening to Rose outside. Most of the time it was various strings of colorful words when she got something wrong or something blew up in her face. But once or twice, the woods would shake and they would hear Rose shout: "I didn't do it!"

However, she was a quick study and was well on her way to mastering the simple spells. She enjoyed showing off and teleporting objects small distances across the house and stealing Crowley's Craig from his hands.

After she had a handle on trapping and teleporting small creatures, Rose and Gavin had concocted a plan to leave a few bees in his study one day. Needless to say, there ended up being more bees than Rose had intended, and Crowley was not happy in the least. Not only were they annoying, he had a particular dislike for the buzzing insects. If he hadn't been impressed with Rose's talent, the two troublemakers would've been grounded for a century.

In between her own lessons, Rose worked on fighting with Gavin. She had a feeling she would be spending a lot of time in Hell dealing with Rowena, and she refused to leave Gavin defenseless again. He was getting better. In fact, he might have been able to hold off a rookie demon or two. However, he still had a long way to go.

So at dinner, Rose would quiz him on his knowledge. Without a whole lot of consent from the king, the troublesome duo used Crowley as a guinea pig. More days than not, Crowley would find himself stuck in a devil's trap Gavin had drawn. Sometimes, Gavin would practice sneaking up on him, occasionally assaulting him with holy water. When Crowley would get upset and storm after the dynamic duo, Rose would have Gavin make salt circles for them to stand in.

Unfortunately for Crowley, today was one of those days.

"This is getting bloody ridiculous. I don't appreciate getting trapped and assaulted _in my own home_!" Crowley shouted after discovering yet another well-drawn devil's trap above him. He could hear Rose snickering from around the corner.

"Hey, just be glad I'm not letting him practice exorcisms on you!" She called, biting back her laughter. While the shenanigans weren't terribly amusing to Crowley anymore, Rose never got tired of them. He wasn't exactly ecstatic about them, but Crowley tolerated and occasionally appreciated them. Gavin needed to learn, and seeing his work accomplish something was a good way to go about it.

Though she did have a point. At least they had the decency to allow him to keep his meatsuit.

"Could you just let me out now?"

Rose snickered again and gave Gavin a nudge. "Go on, grasshopper."

Gavin came around the corner, admiring his work. "I'm gettin' pretty good, if I do say so myself!"

"I dare say you could teach Rocky and Bullwinkle a thing or two." Crowley chuckled somewhat sarcastically.

Gavin scuffed the trap and Crowley instantly gave his hand a flick, sending Gavin back several feet. Two could play at this game. Without a second thought, Gavin scrambled to his feet and took off. Crowley could hear Gavin and Rose sprinting through the house, giggling like teenagers. He followed them at a slower pace, an ever growing smirk on his face. He would never admit it, but he kind of enjoyed these games.

The duo all but dove into their ring of salt. By the time Crowley caught up to them, they were armed and ready. Planning on appearing threatening, the demon took several steps towards their circle.

"Uh-uh, don't forget: we have holy water." Rose's eyes twinkled mischievously. Rose gave her water gun a shake, and Gavin raised his water balloons.

"This is hardly fair." Crowley mock pouted. "One of these days, I'll get you two back."

Rose laughed. "You sure about that, hotshot?"

"I'm always sure." Crowley smirked with playfulness. He took several more, slow steps towards the circle.

"Sometimes." Rose cooed back. Crowley was maybe a foot from the salt. Rose leaned across the line and gave him a kiss.

"Alright, alright, you two win."

Gavin gave a triumphant laugh and holler. He was proud of his new skills. Now he just had to get Rose to teach him how to shoot - or use a blade for that matter.

"Loser buys dinner," Rose reminded, letting her weapon hang by her side as she stepped out of the salt circle.

"Another thing that's not fair. I always buy dinner even when I win."

"Yeah, well, tough luck." Rose stuck her tongue out at him.

"You'd best be careful with that tongue, love. Never know what might happen if you keep doing that." Crowley muttered with a soft glare.

Rose only laughed and went off to get a broom for the salt. They were a strange little family. A demon, a hunter and witch, and a boy from the 16th century. The royal family of Hell, no less.

Crowley had been avoiding confronting his mother, using the excuse of Rose learning to cope with her new powers (something he realized she would need to know on the off chance that Rowena were to challenge her). But he knew that sooner or later, they would have to have their chat. He wasn't looking forward to it one bit.

He would much rather spend his free time in the little cottage in the woods with his wife and son - even if it meant getting stuck in devil's traps and being the butt of their pranks. Even as a human, he never once thought that his life would end up like this, but he wouldn't change a single thing. That human blood had probably screwed him six ways 'til Sunday, but he didn't really care. He was coping. He was still the ruthless and calculating king he needed to be, and he had a family to love and love him. After all he had been through and dealt with, he deserved to be loved.

* * *

**Sure hope you're ready for Rose to meet Rowena!**

**Man am I glad school is over for the summer. More time to write! However, my writing is going to slow down for the next two weeks until Season 10 finishes just so that I can get it all tied up in a nice little bow for you. Because of that, there will be more filler chapters to answer questions, provide insight, and buy me more time to figure out the whole storyline. Thanks for sticking with this!**

**To MYA: Thank you so much! I'm really glad you're enjoying it! It honestly makes my day to know that people actually enjoy my writing!**

**As always, any requests/suggestions/feedback/criticisms are welcome and appreciated. Also, I could still use some songs. So whether its just a favorite song, a song from a musical, or a song that reminds you of Supernatural, please send it my way! I do not own Supernatural - I only own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom.**


	24. Chapter 24

_Crowley had been avoiding confronting his mother, using the excuse of Rose learning to cope with her new powers (something he realized she would need to know on the off chance that Rowena were to challenge her). But he knew that sooner or later, they would have to have their chat. He wasn't looking forward to it one bit._

_He would much rather spend his free time in the little cottage in the woods with his wife and son - even if it meant getting stuck in devil's traps and being the butt of their pranks. Even as a human, he never once thought that his life would end up like this, but he wouldn't change a single thing. That human blood had probably screwed him six ways 'til Sunday, but he didn't really care. He was coping. He was still the ruthless and calculating king he needed to be, and he had a family to love and love him. After all he had been through and dealt with, he deserved to be loved._

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR**

**In which Rowena meets her daughter-in-law**

(Written to: In Her Heart by Patrick Doyle from Brave)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=0GvHjl818hw#Brave_OST_-_15_-_In_Her_Heart

* * *

Rose rolled over, the cool, white sheets wrapping around her unclothed body. She ran a hand along Crowley's chest. For the past two weeks, he had certainly kept his vows (Rose as well, but it was his idea in the first place). Every night was active, then Rose always slept incredibly well.

"You know," Rose spoke softly. "At some point, we're gonna have to go deal with your mother."

"And at some point, you'll have to pick a place for our honeymoon," Crowley countered. His low voice vibrated through Rose's arm.

Rose sighed and dropped her head to rest against his shoulder. "That's not exactly a pressing matter right now."

"I beg to differ."

"Crowley, the longer you leave her locked up without talking to her, the more tantrums she's gonna throw."

Crowley huffed. "I hate it when you're right."

"Which is always." Rose grinned, her eyes drooping shut.

"Sometimes."

"Most of the time."

"Would you go to sleep already?" Crowley sassed.

"Only if you promise to deal with your mother soon." Rose answered.

With a sigh and a moment of deliberation, Crowley replied: "Fine. We'll go talk with her tomorrow. That soon enough for you?"

"I suppose so." Rose smirked, quickly falling into the depths of sleep.

Crowley didn't reply with his usual wit. He was back to running scenarios in his head. What if his mother was just as cruel as he remembered? What if she wasn't? What if she hated Rose and tried to hurt her? What if she tried to tear them apart? What if she liked Rose? What if she tried to kill him?

What should he care? He's the bloody king of Hell! He can do whatever he wants whenever he wants, and he doesn't need his mother's approval. For all he cared, she could rot in the Pit.

But what if she didn't hate him? Maybe there was a good and real reason behind everything she did? Gavin has a mother figure of his own now, why couldn't he? Rose had never really had a mother - not that she could remember anyway. Perhaps she could be to Rose was Rose was to Gavin?

No, no, that was just as ridiculous as Rowena caring for Crowley. Or was it?

* * *

"She was a _horrible_ mother! Did I tell you about that time she almost traded me for three pigs? _Three_!"

"Actually, you did. Several times. But that's the fifth time today."

"I was an attractive child. I could juggle. I was worth five pigs, at least."

Rose's eyes glinted in the dim light of Hell's throne room. "Can you still juggle?"

Crowley froze and spun to look at her with incredulity. "I'm complaining about my wicked mother and _that's_ what you ask?"

She shrugged. "Just curious."

"For your information, I can. And I'm quite good."

"You've never juggled for me." Rose gave a mocking pout. "Bet you juggled for those pigs."

Crowley couldn't help but burst out laughing. Rose smiled along with him.

"It'll be fine." Rose set her hands on his shoulders in an attempt to reassure him. "And unless you want me to start telling sob stories about _my _childhood, I suggest you quit the whining and just get it over with."

"Well thank you for the compassion." Crowley frowned.

"You're welcome." Rose grinning childishly.

Just then, her phone started to ring. Rose groaned but retrieved it from her pocket nonetheless.

"You've reached the Queen of Hell." She sassed into the receiver.

"Seriously, Rosie?" Dean asked.

She just laughed. "Hi, Deanie. What's going on?"

"Cas called in an emergency. You available?"

"Actually," Rose began. She looked to her demon husband before answering. "I've kinda got my own emergency right now. Nothing to worry about, but I can't leave just yet. But, uh - call if it gets bad and I'll be there when I can. Text me the address."

"Will do, princess. You're not in trouble are you?"

"Not one bit, but thanks for the concern - and actually, it's queen." Rose sassed back. She wasn't entirely keen on being called princess despite Dean's persistence over the years.

"It's my job. I'll have Sammy text it to you."

"Thanks, Dean. You three be careful, got it?"

"Always am." With a click, the call was over.

"The boys need something?" Crowley asked with a raised brow.

"Said Cas needed some help. Once we've dealt with your mother, I'll go check in with them."

Crowley let out a deep breath. "Alright. Best get this over with, hm?"

"That's what I've been saying for the past two weeks." Rose rolled her eyes, but followed him to his throne anyway. He sat comfortably with a glass of Craig in his hand.

"I should really have a throne made for you." Crowley thought aloud.

"You don't have to. This room wasn't exactly designed to accommodate two giants chairs." Rose replied. "The symmetry would be all off."

"I can always change it." He bantered back.

"It's your place, do what you want." Rose dismissed it with a wave of her hand.

"Technically, it's yours too, love." He took a sip of his drink.

Rose only shrugged. She didn't much feel like awkwardly standing beside him, so she opted for leaning against one of the many columns in the room. She stood facing Crowley with her arms crossed as well as her ankles, her back pressed against the concrete. With as little wordage as possible, he sent Gerald to fetch Rowena from her cell.

Crowley swirled his drink before finishing it all in one gulp.

"Relax," Rose tried to console him. She left her spot to take his glass and return it to the little table of alcohol, then she resumed her position.

"I'm completely relaxed." Crowley retorted quietly and shifted in his seat.

The faint clicking of heels grew louder and louder, then it was in the room with them. Gerald had the beaten and bruised witch by the bicep and was all but dragging her to the end of the dull room.

Crowley put on his best poker face of nonchalance. "Mother."

"Fergus." Rowena kept her head held high.

"Crowley." He corrected in a bit of a growl.

Rowena took a small breath before repeating. "Fergus."

When Crowley didn't correct her, she smirked victoriously.

Only to have it ruined by Rose growling herself. "Crowley."

The redheaded witch spun her head to locate Rose. When she saw who had spoken, she faintly flinched, thinking this brunette woman was still that ruthless demon. Taking the optical cue from his king, Gerald left the room.

"So you haven't changed." Crowley remarked, bringing his mother's attention back to him. Rose kept her wary eyes on the woman.

"But you certainly have. King of Hell - bravo." She smiled smugly, doing her best to look proud. "I always knew my boy was meant for big things."

"Really? As I remember it, you said I would die in a gutter, covered in my own sick." He countered. Yeah, Rose remembered hearing about that too.

"I was motivating you to do better - aim higher. And clearly, it worked." Rowena justified herself. She was doing her best to focus on the man in the throne and push the strangely powerful demon standing beside her (or so she thought) from her mind. For whatever reason, her magic hadn't worked on that girl, and she wasn't terribly keen on discovering what Rose was capable of.

Rose scoffed and readjusted her ankles, placing left over right.

"How did you die?" Rowena asked, barely risking a glance at the brunette out of the corner of her eye.

Crowley leaned forward in his seat. "The point is, you hated me."

"Oh please." Rowena rolled her head to the side in tiresome frustration.

"You said you'd be back in a flash. Then you disappeared." The demon growled. "I was eight years old! _Eight_!"

From her spot against the column, Rose caught her husband's eye and shot him a look he knew well: _watch the temper_. Unfortunately, Rowena was all but deliberately egging him on at this point.

"Oh, now you're being dramatic!"

"I didn't even have a father!" Crowley roared.

"Of course you had a father!" Rowena shot back. For a moment, Crowley looked surprised and somewhat curious (Rose might have even gone so far as to say he looked hopeful). Then, of course, the old witch destroyed in all in one sentence. "You were just conceived during a winter solstice orgy, and it's not like I was takin' names!"

Rose's eyes widened considerably. _That_, she had not known.

"What do you want me to say?" Rowena continued. "I-I had a disagreement with the locals, and when they set their hounds on me, I had to leave!"

"And never come back? For hundreds of years?"

It didn't take her long to formulate a pretty response to that accusation. "But I'm here now."

"By sheer luck," Rose mumbled.

"We have a second chance. We could be a wee family again, Fergus."

"_Crowley_." Rose corrected, pushing off from the column to stand straight and make her way over to the throne. "And he has a family."

Rowena turned to the girl, now daring to push her luck and safety. "Who? The _demons_? Any one of them would stab him in the back if they thought they could get away with it."

Rose, having reached her destination, stood beside Crowley and faced Rowena. She put her left hand on his shoulder, making a point of letting her ring catch the light.

Rowena's face fell to shock for a moment. "You married one of the demons?"

"She's not-" Crowley started, but Rose cut him off with a simple squeeze of his shoulder.

"And _you_ wouldn't stab him in the back?"

Rowena had the audacity to look offended at the woman's statement. "No! Because we're family! We're blood!"

She turned back to her son. "You can trust me. I can help you."

It took a bit of self-control on Crowley's part to not give a laugh. Instead, he settled for asking a silent 'oh?'

"I understand you're angry. I understand you..._hate_ me." Rowena took a few careful steps forward. If Rose hadn't been standing beside him, she would have walked all the way up to Crowley. "And if you want to keep me locked away, then so be it. But understand that I'll always be your mother. And I'll always love you."

Rose gritted her teeth. She wasn't buying this woman's story. Something felt...off. Something about her set her hunter instincts on high gear - and it wasn't the mystical powers she now shared with the redheaded bit - witch.

Crowley on the other hand, found himself wanting to believe her. He wanted his family - all of it; as much of it as he could. He wanted to be and feel loved by as many family members as he could manage. As a child, he had always hoped his mother would come back. Perhaps that dream was finally coming true. Better late than never, right?

Rowena did her best to keep her smile as the silence droned on. Rose, having had enough interaction with the woman, straightened her posture, then called out for Gerald.

The demon in a black man's meatsuit came striding back into the throne room.

"She can go back now," Rose informed him. Rowena's smile quickly melted into a disappointed grimace. With a polite and somewhat intimidated nod, he took Rowena's arm again and led her from the room.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Rose turned to her husband. "So?"

"So, what?"

"What are you thinking?"

Crowley sighed and pulled Rose onto his lap. He secured an arm around her waist while the other hand rested on her leg. "What would you do?"

"I can't tell you what to do."

"Then just tell me what you would do." Crowley tried again, rubbing circles on her denim-clad thigh.

"I suppose….if it were my dad...I'd give him a chance." Rose ran a distracted hand through the demon's short hair. "I might not believe everything he said at first….but I'd give him a chance. He's family after all, and everyone deserves a second chance I guess."

Crowley nodded, allowing her words to sink in. "Alright."

"Alright?" Rose's brows knit in confusion.

"Yes. Alright. Second chance it is." Crowley repeated.

"You asked what I would do, not what you should do."

"And now I've made my own decision. Do you think I shouldn't?"

"No, I just….she didn't just lie to you, she abandoned you. You've hated her for…..ever! I get Tinman's got a heart now, but that doesn't mean you should let your guard down just 'cause she supplied you with half of your chromosomes."

"I don't plan on letting my guard down. She's still a conniving witch. But she's family, right? And it's not like she could get away with much around here." Crowley thought aloud. "Besides, she seems terrified of you. Why did you cut me off earlier?"

"When I snagged her, she used every spell she could think of to kill a demon, and none of it did anything to me. As far as I'm concerned, she doesn't need to know anything's changed." Rose replied, beginning to gnaw on her cheek.

"Fair point." She did actually have a very good point. That would at least ease one of his worries for the time being.

"It was the Mark of Cain, wasn't it?" Rose asked quietly.

He nodded. "I don't see what else it could've been."

Then after a few beats of silence, Crowley stood with Rose in his arms, set her on her feet, straightened his jacket, and made his way out of the room. Rose sighed and quickly followed him. She didn't need to ask where he was going - she already knew. The thoughts of his mother were going to eat away at him until he was beyond restless. May as well leave her out in the open where they could keep an eye on her.

As Gerald tried to secure her in the cell again, Rowena called out: "Stop!" Upon seeing Crowley walking through the doorway, she added: "I know who's been smuggling souls up from Hell!"

"Pray, do tell." Crowley pressed with disbelief.

With a smug look and a feigned seriousness, Rowena turned to Gerald. "Him."

That was when Rose at last reached the cell herself.

"What?" Gerald objected.

"It's true Mister...My Lord," the chained up demon sharing the cell rose to her feet. "Gerald, he - we made a deal."

"She's lying!" Gerald insisted. Rose shoved her way past Crowley in the doorway. Upon seeing the third demon in the room, Rose placed a hand on the king's arm.

"That's not entirely true." Rose confirmed.

"How do you know?" Crowley turned to his wife.

"Because it was me. I was the one smuggling demons to the surface. Gerald was in on it, but it was me." Rose replied glumly. She wasn't proud of it, but in her defense, she was a ruthless demon at the time. After all, Crowley did say that she screwed up some stuff. This just happened to be one of those things.

Rowena looked utterly defeated. Her plan hadn't worked at all. Of course this demon girl he married was the one to ruin it.

"Oh really now?" Crowley raised a brow.

"What can I say? I haven't always had the fine touch for logistics that I do now." Rose retorted with a scowl. She turned to Gerald. "You can go now."

Without a word (but not without a harsh glare at Rowena), he left the cell. Rose turned to follow him not long after.

When Crowley turned to leave, he sighed, looked at his mother, then roughly asked: "Coming?"

* * *

**What do you think so far? How do you think Rose and Rowena are going to get along? I've only just figured out what I want between them, so buckle up and hold on to your hats! It's gonna be a bumpy ride until Rowena leaves Hell!**

**I've actually just realized that it's going to be maaannnyyy chapters to finish up Season 10. Considering time moves faster in Hell than on the surface, there will be a lot of 'filler' chapters that take place in Hell, and seeing as we aren't even halfway done with Season 10 just yet...yeah it's gonna be longer than I anticipated.**

**Anywho, I'm still looking for songs, so please send them my way! They are being used for my other story and I need as many as possible! When I use a suggested song in a chapter, I will be sure to give credit and dedicate where it is due! Any and all songs are very much appreciated!**

**As always, any suggestions/requests/feedback/criticisms are welcome and appreciated. I do not own Supernatural, but I do own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom.**


	25. Chapter 25

_"What can I say? I haven't always had the fine touch for logistics that I do now." Rose retorted with a scowl. She turned to Gerald. "You can go now."_

_Without a word (but not without a harsh glare at Rowena), he left the cell. Rose turned to follow him not long after._

_When Crowley turned to leave, he sighed, looked at his mother, then roughly asked: "Coming?"_

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE**

**In which Rose and Claire have a little heart to heart**

(Written to: Jasmine Runs Away by Alan Menken from Aladdin)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=yfbEGlnvMTA#Jasmine_Runs_Away

* * *

"You sure about this?" Rose asked softly, just barely above a whisper.

"No," Crowley admitted. "I'll figure it out as I go."

Rose gave a hushed sigh then a nod. "Alright."

"Did you need to go visit the Jolly Green Giant and company?" Crowley asked, swirling his drink again.

Rose snickered at the nicknames. "I probably should. If Cas says it's an emergency...yeah I should go."

She then dug out her phone and scrolled to the text her twin had sent her. She showed it to Crowley, who nodded and set down his drink. The demon took her calloused hand, and the all too familiar jerking sensation rippled through her.

When it stopped, she found herself at the corner of a street, opposite a Weiner Hut. There, her brothers and Castiel stood, appearing to be waiting for someone.

"Now, the last time I left you with those bumbling idiots, you died and came home a demon." Crowley started.

"I know. I won't do it again. I promise." Rose replied with a heavy voice.

"Then try not to get into too much trouble." Crowley was practically staring her down.

"No promises." Rose offered a small smile and a kiss - which her husband held onto. He grabbed her by the small of her back and pulled her to him. Rose only pulled back for air, but smiled as well and said: "Same goes for you, hotshot. Keep an eye on your mother. Something about her just doesn't sit right with me."

"Of course, love." He smirked, then was gone. Rose huffed a laugh, shook her head, then hurried across the street.

"Hey!" She called out, tugging her thick, navy sweater tightly around her.

"Rosie! Didn't expect to see you here so soon!" Dean replied.

"Yeah, well, time goes faster in Hell. And as it turns out, my problem isn't something that can be tackled all in one go." Rose huffed. Noticing their expressions, Rose continued. "I'll tell you later. So what's this emergency?"

"A teenage girl." Dean retorted.

"Claire Novak. My vessel's daughter."

"Oh." Rose faltered. "Is she...in some sort of trouble?"

"I broke her out of a group home and she ran. I'm responsible for her. I need to make sure she's alright." Castiel explained.

"Okay. So...where do we start?" Rose asked, settling into their little gathering.

"We're waiting for her buddy Dustin. He works here." Sam explained. Rose nodded.

"Speak of the devil." Dean mumbled with a mouth full of food. Sure enough, there was a younger boy in uniform walking up to them.

As he approached, Sam called out: "Dustin Tate?"

"Nah, man." The boy gave a slight shake of his head. Sam placed a strong hand on the kid's chest, preventing him from walking any further.

"Yes you are." With a protective rage in his eyes, Castiel grabbed Dustin's jacket and slammed him against the nearby brick wall.

"And you're going to tell me where Claire Novak is." He growled in his usual gravelly voice. Not getting a quick answer out of the boy, Cas gripped Dustin's neck and lifted him from the ground. "Now."

"I'd do as he says." Rose crossed her arms.

* * *

One answer and a speedy drive over to the closest gas station, Sam and Dean found themselves leaning against the hood of the Impala while Rose sat on it crosslegged. Cas hadn't been inside for long when he came storming back out with Claire in front of him.

"Claire, wait!"

"Screw you."

"Whoa, hey Miley Cyrus. Settle." Dean called out, pushing himself from the car. The boys stood at the ready and Rose gingerly slid off the hood, careful not to mark it.

"Eat me, Hasselhoff." Claire shot back. Dean reeled back, making Rose snicker under her breath.

"Claire, hold on a second." Sam said before she could walk away. "Look, my name's-"

"Sam. And you're Dean." Claire's eyes flitted over the third Winchester for a brief second before returning back to the brothers. "We've met, remember?"

"Claire. Were you going to rob that convenience store?" Castiel asked, looking extremely upset and oddly paternal. Rose hadn't pictured him as a parental type. Then again, she hadn't thought that about herself either, yet she was practically Gavin's mother as well as partner-in-pranks.

"So?" Claire retorted.

"'So?' So...it's - it's wrong!"

"You want to talk to me about wrong? You killed my dad. Is that 'wrong' enough for you?"

Cas fumbled for a reply, but settled on: "No. I didn't."

"Really?" Claire snipped. "Because without you, he'd still be here. And my mom would still be around."

"Claire, I'm-" As he took a step forward, Claire pulled her gun on him. Rose immediately went on high alert, her instincts beginning to kick in. She couldn't charge her - this was a conversation, not a threat. Not yet, at least.

"Don't!" The blonde called out.

Castiel watched with what the Winchesters could only describe as worn pity. "That won't hurt me."

"Fine." Then with a shrug, the gun was on the Winchesters, flitting between the three of them.

On reflex, Dean called: "Whoa, hey, come on."

"Hold on a second." Sam tried. As Rose raised her hands in typical at-the-end-of-a-gun fashion, she took a deep breath and racked her brain for a spell.

"What? Like you don't have it coming? You stood there while this monster-" She motioned to the angel. "Took my dad."

The blonde turned her head to look at the 'monster,' whose eyes were pleading with her. Just as Rose was getting ready to use her spell to relocate the weapon, Claire lowered her gun.

"I used to pray to you, Castiel. Every night. I would beg to you to bring him home safe."

Castiel's face fell. He knew. He had heard every single one of those prayers - and he did nothing about it. "I know."

"You know?" Claire bit her cheek. "My father was a good man. In what messed up world does he have to die and you get to live?"

"I'm sorry." Cas tried. He really was. Why couldn't she see it?

"No." Claire retorted. "You feel guilty. There's a difference."

"So what?" Sam asked. The girl and the angel turned to look at him. "Now you go back to Randy? The guy you steal for?"

"How do you know about that?" Claire responded.

"Dustin." Dean answered simply.

"Claire," Cas spoke up. "That man is using you."

"He was there for me." She shot back. "When things got bad - and they got _real_ damn bad - he was there when no one else was. _He's_ my family. And you're just…" Claire fumbled for a moment, then settled on: "You can go to Hell."

With that, she stormed off. When no one went after her, Rose looked between the frozen men, then jogged to catch up to her.

"Claire!" She called out.

"Listen, I don't know who you are, but you can't stop me."

"I'm not going to. I just want to talk. Promise." Rose slowed to match the blonde's pace with hands raised in a sign of peace.

Claire bit her cheek in quick deliberation. "Fine. But make it quick."

"My name is Rose. I'm Sam and Dean's sister." She started.

"Where were you then? When Castiel stole my father?" Claire retorted.

"I was...out of town. On vacation." Rose put her hands in her jean pockets as she kept Claire's pace. She shot a glance back at her brothers, silently telling them that she's got it covered. "Look...I know it probably doesn't count for much, but I get the whole...deal with Randy."

Claire raised a brow.

"He was there for you. He had your back when you were at your lowest, right?" The girl nodded in answer. "That's what family does. Hell, it's how I got half my family. Cas being one of them. He hasn't always made the best decisions, but his heart is always in the right place."

"So he only had the best intentions when he took my father away from me and killed him?"

"No." Rose sighed. "That's the thing about angels, though. They all need a vessel at some point. It's the only way they can interact with other humans without blinding them. Literally. But the catch is that in order for an angel to take a human as a vessel, that person has to give consent. They have to say the word 'yes,' and allow the angel to possess them."

When Claire didn't respond, Rose continued. "Your father said yes. He was okay with it. He knew what would happen. Cas explained all of it to him. And from what I've heard, it was either your father or you, and your dad refused to let Cas take you."

Rose heard a small sniff.

"So you're saying I'm the reason my dad is dead? He let Castiel kill him in order to protect me?"

"You're not the reason he's dead. But yeah, he died to protect you. He wanted you to live your life. It's what dads do. They do stupid things to protect their kids."

Claire ran her arm under her nose. "You speaking from experience?"

Rose nodded. "I am. And I was pissed at him for years. Still kinda am. I took a lot of that anger out on my brothers too - even the closest thing I had to a father after he died. But in the end, he was trying to protect me, and I was too...stuck on feeling betrayed and butthurt that I forgot to live."

"So what? Are you telling me to quit with Randy and clean myself up? Get a real life?"

"This is a real life. And you're living it." Rose answered. "I'm only saying...it doesn't do to dwell on the past and forget to live."

Claire paused for a moment. "Are you quoting Harry Potter at me?"

Rose shrugged a laugh. "Paraphrasing really, but yeah, I guess I am. But Dumbledore has a point, and it's what I'm trying to say. Being reckless and taking your anger out on Cas isn't gonna change anything."

Claire slowed to a halt. She took a deep breath. "I guess you have a point."

Rose offered a smile in return.

"I, um...thanks. See ya around. Maybe." Then she took off to a house in the distance. Rose watched her go, then dug out her phone.

When Sam answered, the background noise was almost too loud for her to hear her brother speak.

"Are you at a bar?" Rose asked, her brows knitting in concentration.

"Yeah. How's Claire?"

"She's back with Randy. You guys should get over here. I have a bad feeling...just...hurry, okay?"

"Yeah, okay. We'll be there in a bit. Text me the address."

Sighing, Rose hung up. Something wasn't right about this Randy guy. Claire didn't seem like the type to rob a store without a good reason. Something was going on.

* * *

**Little bit of a shorter chapter today. I'm beginning to run low on already written content, and am struggling to connect the dots of the established plotline. In English: I know what Rose's role in Season 10 will be, I'm simply having a hard time getting there from here. So if anyone has anything they really want to see, now would be a good time to tell me. Once I hit Executioner's Song, it'll be loads easier to crank out more chapters.**

**Anywho, I am still looking for songs for my other story! And also creative names if anyone has any!**

**As always, any suggestions/requests/feedback/criticisms are welcome and appreciated. I do not own Supernatural. I only own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom.**


	26. Chapter 26

_"Are you at a bar?" Rose asked, her brows knitting in concentration._

_"Yeah. How's Claire?"_

_"She's back with Randy. You guys should get over here. I have a bad feeling...just...hurry, okay?"_

_"Yeah, okay. We'll be there in a bit. Text me the address."_

_Sighing, Rose hung up. Something wasn't right about this Randy guy. Claire didn't seem like the type to rob a store without a good reason. Something was going on._

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY SIX**

**In which everyone gets caught up**

(Written to: E102 Gamma from Sonic Adventure)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=a2sOpyF1nF4#Sonic_Adventure_DX_Music%3A_E102_Gamma

* * *

It didn't take long for the boys to get to Randy's house. Castiel was the first one out of the car and to the door. Sam and Dean took a moment to grab their guns and check the bullets, then they quickly followed. Rose was already standing on the front porch. No one spoke as Cas raced to knock on the door.

The angel didn't wait for any explanation to be given from either parties when the door opened. He simply raised his hand and sent the man flying. The way he was feeling, nothing was going to stand in his way. He wanted Claire safe.

Castiel and the Winchesters marched inside, the boys with their guns raised, and the angel and witch with their hands at the ready, power tingling in their fingers.

"Back it up," Dean ordered. Several of the men complied and took careful steps away from him.

Just as Castiel asked: "Where's the girl?", they heard screaming from upstairs.

Rose's eyes widened at the sound. She gave the man in a trench coat a shove. "Cas, go!"

Without so much as a glance back, he took off up the stairs. None of the Winchesters moved, keeping their weapons (and potential power) trained on the thugs in the room. Rose heard a loud crash, which she assumed was a door flying off its hinges, then footsteps storming down the stairs.

Castiel rejoined the group, Claire in tow. The blonde took one look at the man in the chair, and said "Randy…" with a silent and terrified question in her eyes.

Randy could only look at the ground in shame. He let his family down.

"Get her out of here," Dean barked. Cas took the girl by the hand and led her from the house. Rose quickly followed, intent on making sure Claire was alright. Soon after, Sam came running towards the Impala with them.

The two Novaks climbed into the backseat while Sam and Rose remained outside the car.

"Are you okay?" Castiel asked.

Claire swallowed hard, then looked at her savior. She gave a small nod and replied: "Yeah."

Then she turned and hugged Castiel, burying her face in his chest and shoulder. He awkwardly returned the gesture, but quickly melted into it. She was safe and she was alright.

Rose smiled at the sight. Claire was beginning to see that even though it was a different man in her father's skin, Cas was her family too. She could count on him, no matter what.

A crash came from the house. Rose spun to look at her brother.

"Dean's still in there." Rose breathed.

Sam's eyes shot wide open. "The Mark."

They took off back towards the house. They sprinted up the stairs and threw open the door. The angel and his vessel's daughter came running after them. When they burst into the house, they saw blood - blood and maimed corpses that had died in gruesome manner.

Claire shrieked, breaking Dean from his trance. Castiel wrapped his arms around her and drew her close, trying to shield her from the awful sight.

"Cas, get her out." Rose whispered. The angel took one last look at the scene, then walked the girl out of the house and back to the Impala.

"Dean. Hey." Sam rushed over to his big brother, dropping to his knees beside him. He dropped his gun on the floor and placed his hands on his brother's shoulder and face. "Tell me you had to do this."

Rose approached her brothers, kicking Sam's gun to the side. She knelt down herself and watched Dean carefully.

"I didn't...I didn't mean to…" Dean mumbled.

"No." Sam practically shouted. "Tell me it was them or you!"

"Sam," Rose placed a hand on his shoulder. "Move."

The youngest Winchester looked from his brother to his sister and back, a confused and terrified expression growing on his face.

"Sam," She repeated. Slowly, he stood and took a step back, allowing Rose to get to her older brother.

Rose didn't bother asking how Dean felt - she knew. So she took his right arm, rolled up the sleeve, and placed her chilled right hand over the Mark of Cain. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, then muttered: "Absterge."

A wave of neutral tranquility passed through Dean the instant she spoke. His trance melted away and he could think clearly. He saw his baby brother and sister staring at him. Then he saw the bodies.

"What did I do?" Dean swallowed hard.

"Come on." Rose grunted as she helped Dean to his feet.

"Rose, what did _you_ do?" Sam asked, leading them from the house.

"I'll explain. Let's just get Dean out of here."

"Yeah. Okay." Sam headed for the car. "I'll drive."

* * *

"So you have a queen?"

"Yes. I believe you two have already met." Crowley swirled his drink in the small glass.

"So we have. She must be pretty powerful. My spells didn't so much as faze her." Rowena remarked. She wanted to learn everything she could about this mysterious demon her son had married.

"She is. And if you're wise, you won't test her." Crowley spoke with finality, but his mother wasn't finished.

"How did you two meet?"

Crowley gave her the most exasperated look mixed with disbelief and puzzlement. Did she really care about his life? Or was she pushing for dirt on Rose? Either way, his wife had a point. It was best if Rowena kept on believing that Rose was invincible.

"Work, you might say."

"And it was love at first sight?"

The King sighed. He was in no mood to give his mother his life's tale. So he settled upon: "Something like that."

Rowena watched for a moment, letting silence sink for a moment. She watched her son take a sip of his drink, then absentmindedly play with the ring on his finger.

"Is it common for demons to marry? Or even fall in love?"

"Rose is a special case." Then with a dramatic and somewhat dismissive wave of his glass, he added: "She gets me."

"Is that so? Well, if that's the case, then we'll get along wonderfully." Rowena smiled (a little less than genuinely if you asked Crowley). "So where is my daughter-in-law?"

"_My wife_ is taking care of some business. She'll be back in a while." Crowley finished his drink all in one gulp. Hopefully Rose _would _be back soon. If Rowena was insistent upon chatting constantly, he would need his wife or his sanity would be done for.

* * *

While the motley group grabbed some food at the closest restaurant, Rose took her time explaining her situation. She began with being a witch and learning spells - the first of which had been the temporary emotional reset button she used on Dean. She proceeded to fix Claire's torn sleeve with another spell, then not-so-gently broke the news about her marriage.

To put it delicately, Sam and Dean were not pleased. After they had cooled down, Dean had moped about neither of them asking his permission or for his blessing. Claire had taken in all the information with silent awe, while Castiel seemed on edge. He couldn't say he was extremely close with the Winchester sister, but he was still uneasy at the thought of her being married to a demon - even though they had all silently reached the conclusion that it was bound to happen. Or at least, the thought had individually crossed their minds.

When everyone had finished their meals and Rose had furiously explained to her brothers that it was her choice and she was happy, they all left the building to head their separate ways. Castiel wanted to spend a little more time speaking with Claire, so the Winchesters headed to the Impala. Rose was just about to call Crowley and tell him she was set to leave, when it occurred to her that the Bunker might have spellbooks she wouldn't otherwise have access to.

"You going back to Hell now?" Dean asked. "Wow, I cannot believe that just came out of my mouth."

If Rose hadn't been contemplating her question, she would've rolled her eyes. "Actually, does the Bunker have any spellbooks?"

"Loads. I don't think we've even found them all yet." Sam replied. "If you're looking for witch-y stuff, there's some Grand Coven things somewhere."

"Wait." Rose gawked. "There's just Grand Coven stuff laying around?"

"Yeah." Dean nodded. "The Men of Letters had it out for them. Took a lot of their stuff and stashed it where the witches couldn't get it."

"No way…" Rose mumbled. Turning back to her brothers, biting her lip. "Could I come back to the Bunker with you? I mean Crowley's taught me a lot, and he brought me almost all the grimoires he could find, but to go through Grand Coven books…"

The boys couldn't help but laugh at their sister's expression. She looked vaguely reminiscent of a child peeking at their presents before Christmas.

"Of course, Rosie." Dean chuckled. "You know you're always welcome."

"Am I? 'Cause I mean, I am the Queen of Hell now." Rose teased.

"Don't remind us." Sam huffed.

Rose snickered, then continued to dial Crowley on her phone. Taking several paces away from the Impala and her brothers, Rose placed the cool object to her warm face.

"You've reached Hell - this is the king speaking."

"Well hello, your majesty. Have time for a call from your queen?" Rose bit her lip as she grinned liked a teenage girl.

"Oh, love, I always have time for my queen." Over the phone, she could hear shuffling footsteps fading into nothing, clearly having been dismissed. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. Dean still has the Mark, and I'm still human. Er - a witch." Rose corrected. "But I'm gonna spend a few days in the Bunker. Don't let Rowena know, but they've got a ton of Grand Coven spellbooks. Among other things apparently." She added the last sentence as more of a quiet afterthought.

"I see." There was a hint of surprise in his voice. "Don't want to take those out of the hole in the ground?"

"If the Men of Letters went through all the trouble to steal and hide them, I'm not gonna risk taking them out." The angel and the teenage girl wandered over to Sam and Dean. Rose gave a small wave and indicated that she would be just another minute.

"Fair enough."

"Since when are you okay with fair?"

"It's your decision, Flower." The sound of clicking heels grew louder through the phone. "Rose, I'm afraid I have to cut our conversation short."

"Okay. Don't let your guard down around her, got it? Oh, and can you stop in with Gavin and check on him? He should be set on food for a day or two, but at the rate he eats-"

"Yes, yes, alright. I'll check on him."

"Thank you. And if something happens - whether it's your mother, Gavin, or Hell - I expect a phone call."

"So long as you return the favor."

"Of course. Try not to get into too much trouble." Rose's lips tugged up.

"No promises." The last thing Rose heard before the line went dead was Rowena complaining about food. Rose sighed and shoved her phone away.

"You alright? You look like an exhausted soccer mom." Dean quipped.

"I feel like one." Rose mused.

"Ready to go?" Sam asked, then everyone piled into the 1967 Chevy headed for Lebanon, Kansas.

* * *

**Anyone else insanely nervous for the season finale? 72 more hours until I cry my eyes out and curse the world for making me wait several months for next season!**

**Anywho, I'm getting back on track with this story, so there shouldn't be any serious delays in future chapters. However, I am still looking for songs for my other story! Any and all songs are extremely appreciated!**

**As always, any comments/concerns/questions/requests are welcome and appreciated! I do not own Supernatural, but I do own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom.**


	27. Chapter 27

_"You alright? You look like an exhausted soccer mom." Dean quipped._

_"I feel like one." Rose mused._

_"Ready to go?" Sam asked, then everyone piled into the 1967 Chevy headed for Lebanon, Kansas._

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN**

**In which Rose does some research**

(Written to: The Grey Havens by Howard Shore from Return of the King)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=ZCQ53pWxDcE#The_Return_of_the_King_Soundtrack-18-The_Grey_Havens

* * *

If Rose hadn't already felt like a child who just discovered mountain of presents under the Christmas tree all for them, she certainly did now. Sam and Dean had wasted no time in gathering every spellbook they could find and dropping them all on one of the library tables. And Rose had wasted no time in beginning to read through them.

There were spells about creating things from thin air, transforming people into animals and objects, enchanting objects to work on their own, charming animals into obeying the caster, even teleporting human beings. In fact, there was so much information, Rose felt the need to write down anything that caught her eye in an empty journal Sam had tossed at her. She wasn't going to take the spellbooks out of the Bunker, but she figured transferring some of the less important information couldn't do much harm. She just had to keep it well out of Rowena's reach.

Rose had - thankfully - not caused any explosions while she practiced. She did, on the other hand, manage to irritate her brothers more than once. In attempting to charm the coffee pot to make and serve itself, she had accidentally charmed it to dump its scalding contents on whoever tried to pour it. While working on creating an empty book from thin air, Rose had inadvertently wiped all the words from the book Dean had been reading (which luckily was only a porn magazine).

Many of the more advanced spells required supplies, but Rose had been able to find most of them in the Bunker's storage room. However, there was one book full of ridiculously complicated and powerful spells that she had been wary about testing out. So Rose set that book aside and told her brothers to keep it in a safe place.

She had spent four days like that. Testing out spells in the Bunker and doing her best to memorize what she could. She was even well on her way to mastering human teleportation. That particular spell was something that only natural born witches could use, and it could only teleport the witch herself. However, testing it within the confines of the Bunker was difficult, seeing as the whole place was warded against everything imaginable.

But on the fifth day, Rose was skimming through yet another new book. She had stumbled across an interesting spell (more of a curse, really) that had been used during the Salem Witch Trials to draw attention away from the real witches. Once cast, the victim would be branded with a pentagram somewhere on your body and would display signs of witchcraft. It was meant to mislead people into thinking that this innocent person was a witch, to an extent saving the witch that cast it.

As all spells and curses, there was a countercurse to undo it. This particular spell wasn't anything difficult or special, so one of the general countercurses was enough to undo it if need be. But as Rose read the passage and ran a hand over the illustration, she gasped loud enough for her brothers across the room to hear her.

"Everything okay?" Sam asked, looking up from his own book.

"I...this curse….can I test it out on you? I can undo it, I promise. It won't hurt you." Rose carried the spellbook across the library to their table.

"You want to cast a curse on me?" The youngest Winchester asked slowly.

"Yeah." Rose nodded. "I wanna test out an idea."

"What sort of idea?" Dean piped up. Rose laid the book down and spun it so the boys could read it.

"See this? It brands a person with a pentagram and makes them look like they're a witch. Witches used it to avoid suspicion and being burned at the stake." Rose explained, pointing to the paragraph.

"And why do you want to test this on me?"

"To see what the mark looks like."

"But it's right there. It's a pentagram - it's nothing special." Dean retorted, taking another bite of the sandwich he had been munching on.

"That's a drawing, not a photograph." Rose huffed. "I wanna see what it looks like because...Dean, it's a mark caused by a curse, and it can be removed."

"What are you getting at, Rosie?" Dean asked with his mouth half-full.

"There was this book Crowley had, and there was a chapter about Cain. It said Lucifer cursed him with a mark. I thought it was just creative word choice...but what if it is a curse? Just a spell?" Rose pointed again to the illustration in her spellbook. "This spell does a similar thing. It leaves a _mark_ on the victim and changes them. And it can be removed with the right countercurse. So what if the Mark of Cain is just a spell? That means it can be removed, Dean."

After a few minutes of gaping silence, exchanged glances, rereading the book, and comparing the Mark of Cain to the pentagram from the other curse, all three Winchesters found themselves grinning like idiots.

That was when Castiel walked in. He had set Claire up at a nearby hotel and mostly went between visiting her and joining the Winchesters in the Bunker's library.

"What did I miss?" He asked, his eyes scrunching upon noticing the oddly excited expressions upon the family's face.

"We might have a way to get the Mark of Cain off my arm." Dean announced.

"Well, we have an idea, anyway. I don't know about specifics just yet." Rose clarified. "But we're definitely closer."

"What is this idea?" The angel asked, moving to take a seat beside the eldest sibling.

"Rose found this curse in one of the spellbooks. It leaves a mark on the victim and makes them seem like a witch. We think Lucifer did something similar to Cain - cast a curse and left a mark on Cain." Sam explained.

"So you think a countercurse could remove it?" Cas asked.

Rose nodded. "Yeah, but it's not gonna be any countercurse I know. I mean, I could try them, but the Mark of Cain's gotta be the first spell ever cast. The countercurse isn't gonna be in any book. A super ancient scroll, maybe, but nothing we have access to right now."

"I don't know about scrolls, but the tablets have been around for as long as time itself." Castiel offered. "If we had the demon tablet…"

"I thought you said it was missing?" Sam asked.

"It is…" Cas trailed off for a moment. "But there may be another way."

Rose's eyes lit up instantly. "Metatron. He wrote the damn things."

"But how are we gonna get that information out of him? We can't exactly march up to heaven and ask him nicely." Dean snarked, back to frowning. It was just another dead end.

"No, but we may be able to bring him down here. I'm not sure he'll respond to asking nicely, but it's worth a try." Castiel replied.

"Then screw asking him nicely. The son of a bitch _killed_ me. I'd say he's more than earned a good beating." Rose spat.

"We talk to him first, then maybe rough him up a little. He won't talk if he doesn't want to, but Cas is right. It's worth a try." Sam spoke up. The other two Winchesters nodded.

"Alright." Dean spoke first. "Cas, do what you gotta do. We'll get him down here, and we can lock him up in the dungeon until he talks."

The angel nodded, then headed to leave the Bunker. Rose took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself down. She barely had any experience with the stuck up Scribe of God, but she certainly had no pity for the bastard. If anything, she was dying to return the beating he had given her.

Then she sighed. "While Cas gets Metadouche, I might head down to Hell for a bit." She barked a laugh. "Holy crap, I just said that."

"Believe me, it's weirder hearing you say it." Dean groaned.

"Got business to attend to?" Sam asked, taking a sip of his beer.

"You two seem to forget that I'm the Queen now. And there's still that...situation I'm dealing with down there. Nothing that's gonna get solved anytime soon." Rose huffed.

"You gonna fill us in? Anything we can help with?" Dean asked.

"I don't think there's anything anyone can do about it. Just something Crowley and I have to manage."

"Alright, well, if you think of anything, let us know." Sam replied.

"I will." Rose took a deep breath. Just as she was about to call Crowley, she bit her lip and began to think aloud. "I wonder if I can teleport to Hell…."

"Rose, you can barely teleport across the Bunker. Making it all the way to Hell…?" Dean retorted.

"Oh, come on. I'm not that bad. Besides, the Bunker doesn't exactly like teleportation. It's built against it." Rose sniped back. "There's no harm in trying. And if I can't make it, I won't really go anywhere."

"Fine, but don't get yourself hurt." Dean gave a wave of his hand, then turned back to his lunch.

Rose scrunched her eyes and focused on Hell. She recited the little spell under her breath, repeated it for good measure, then felt an odd tugging sensation. It was as if someone (or several someones) was pulling at her hair and limbs - even her internal organs. When she opened her eyes, she looked around and found that she had landed at-

"The Devil's Gate." Rose grumbled. "Dammit."

So she fished out her phone and dialed Crowley.

"Hey," Rose spoke before he could. "I'm, uh - at the Devil's Gate. Mind coming to get me?"

"What are you doing at the Devil's Gate?" Crowley asked perplexedly.

"I was trying to teleport into Hell." Rose admitted quietly.

Crowley laughed. The line went dead and Rose shoved her phone into her pocket with an irritated force. At least she tried.

"Well that won't work. You'll need a demon escort to get to Hell and back." Crowley spoke. Rose spun to find him standing maybe three feet behind her.

"It was worth a try." Rose mumbled.

"So. Teleportation?" He asked, raising his brows.

"There were some good books there." Rose straightened her posture in a small attempt to look powerful and indignant.

"Have you finished going through them?"

"Not even close. But we might have a lead on the Mark of Cain. Cas is grabbing Metatron right now, so I thought I should come see how things are going in Hell." Rose replied.

"I'd be glad of the company. Mother is driving me absolutely insane." The demon huffed.

Rose snickered.

"We'll see if you're still laughing after spending some time with her yourself." Crowley grumbled, grabbing Rose's hand and whisking them away to Hell.

* * *

**Shorter chapter this time around. Just as a warning, some of the later episodes will deviate from the canon plotline, seeing as Rose's presence changes some things.**

**I'm still looking for songs, so please send them my way!**

**As always, any requests/questions/comments/criticisms are welcome and appreciated! I do not own Supernatural, but I do own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom.**


	28. Chapter 28

_"I'd be glad of the company. Mother is driving me absolutely insane." The demon huffed._

_Rose snickered._

_"We'll see if you're still laughing after spending some time with her yourself." Crowley grumbled, grabbing Rose's hand and whisking them away to Hell._

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT**

**In which Rose goes on an emotional rollercoaster**

(Written to: Hermione's Parents by Alexandre Desplat from Deathly Hallows Part 1)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=cNxVylHX2dE#%2318_Hermione_s_Parents_-_Alexandre_Desplat_%E2%80%A2_Harry_Potter_and_the_Deathly_Hallows_Part_1

* * *

"I have to know. She tried to frame Gerald, so why'd you let her out?" Rose asked, walking with her hand resting in the crook of Crowley's elbow.

"You know what they say about keeping your enemies close. She was going to get out one way or another, and I'd rather have her where I can keep an eye on her." Crowley replied. The couple walked along the halls of Hell's palace, heading for the throne room to deal with business.

"Have you spoken with her?"

"Spoken with her? The bloody woman won't stop talking!"

Rose bit back a smile. "And what has she said?"

"She keeps making excuses for abandoning me. Mentioned something about studying under some great witch and a mess with the Grand Coven. Her attempts to be a doting mother are...pathetic!" Crowley complained.

"A doting mother?" Rose threw her head back in laughter. No way in Hell (literally at this point) could Rose picture Rowena as a doting mother - not after all the stories she had heard about the bit-witch.

When they rounded the corner into the throne room, there was already a demon standing there waiting to speak with the king. Rose removed her hand from her husband's arm, allowing him to approach the minion.

"Well? Are you going to just stand there or are you going to tell me why you're here?" Crowley spoke curtly. Several paces behind him, Rose crossed her arms and pursed her lips. While she wasn't a ruthless killer of a demon anymore, she didn't exactly want to be seen a soft little human being.

The demon took one small glance at the Queen and was instantly nervous. He hadn't had the misfortune of running across her or getting on her bad side, but he had heard plenty of stories. Most demons that met her didn't get out alive. He gulped.

"The, uh - soul you requested be taken off the rack…"

"What about him?" Crowley snarled.

"He keeps shouting and threatening all the demons that walk past his cell."

"With good reason." Rose scoffed.

"He's demanding to speak with whoever's in charge." The demon replied at half the volume he had been using earlier.

"That's all?" Crowley pressed.

"Yes, sir, ma'am - your majesties." Then the demon scurried out and far away from the throne room.

Rose turned to the king. "You had a soul taken off the rack? Since when do you take mercy on idiots?"

Crowley sighed. He walked up to the brunette girl and placed his hands on her still crossed arms. Rubbing his thumbs against the soft fabric of her gray sweater, he spoke slowly and carefully. "It's a special case. But his fate rests in your hands, love, not mine."

"I - what?" Rose's eyebrows knit together.

"You'll see soon enough."

"I'd like to see now. Just tell me what's going on. Who'd you have mercy on?" Rose pressed.

Before Crowley could answer, the familiar and obnoxious click of heels echoed off the cement and brick walls. Crowley audibly groaned and hung his head so it rested against Rose's.

"Don't think you're getting off easy." Rose mumbled before Rowena rounded the corner. The witch halted in the doorway.

"Oh my, I didn't realize the Queen was coming back so soon!" Rowena feigned a happy smile. Taking several careful steps towards her son, she watched Rose with caution.

"What do you want?" The King growled.

"You make it sound like you don't enjoy my company. I only want to spend time with my son - and of course my new daughter-in-law." Rowena cooed and smiled.

Crowley sighed, and Rose bit back a teasing smile.

"Is that so?" Crowley grumbled, finding the motivation to remove his forehead from Rose's - then head promptly to fetch some alcohol. Rose almost laughed at the sight.

"Well of course! We are family after all, Fergus." Rowena smiled her small and poorly feigned happy smile.

"It's Crowley." Rose shot back, not missing a single beat.

Rowena turned to the Winchester, confidence and determination being to flood her expression. "Fergus is the name I gave my son, and I will call him by his name."

"In case you haven't noticed-" Rose scoffed. Her head tilted forward in frustration and her lips pursed between words. "He's not human anymore. When he became a demon, he was entitled to a name change. He made his decision, and as his _mother_ you should respect that decision."

Rowena had the audacity to be offended by the hunter's words. "He may be your husband and your king, but he is _my son_, and I shall treat him as I see fit."

The moment Rowena's words left her mouth, Crowley knew Rose was about to boil over. So when he noticed her hands clenching into solid fists and her elbows beginning to bend in preparation, he quickly downed his drink, abandoned the glass on the table, and swiftly strode to his wife.

But Rose wasn't going to let this witch win. "Like how you abandoned him? Left him for dead? Never came back for _your son_?! You might be his mother by blood, but you have yet to act like one!"

Crowley grasped Rose's upper arm with a strong hand. But she wasn't done. "At least I haven't abandoned him! I love him for who he is - name and all! I have given my _life_ to protect him! What exactly have you done?!"

"Rose, that's _enough_." Crowley ordered as softly as he could. Rowena straightened out her posture, attempting to look unfazed. Though in honesty, she had just realized that she really hadn't been doing her job as a mother as of late. If she was going to make a point of being with her son, she would have to up the stakes. Rose had given her life to protect Crowley? She had no idea the lengths Rowena was about to go to in order to protect her son.

Rose instantly snapped to her husband. Her nostrils were flaring and her teeth were grinding. She wanted to yell out again, tell Crowley that he had no right to order her around...but she needed to calm down. Crowley wanted to give this family thing a shot. Being at Rowena's throat wasn't going to solve anything.

She hated when he was right.

Rose sighed. She rolled her shoulders and stretched out her hands. "I'm going to go lay down for a bit. I didn't get much sleep the past few days. So if you'll excuse me-"

Without waiting for a reply, Rose stalked through the halls and towards the lavish bedroom she shared with the King.

* * *

After Rose had disappeared and neither brother got a call from her saying something went wrong, they both let out breaths they weren't aware they had been holding.

"I don't think I'm ever gonna get used to this." Dean complained.

"Me neither. But...she has a point. She's happy. We can't very well stand in the way of that." Sam countered.

"I didn't say anything about getting in the way. She's a big girl and she can do what she wants. It almost wounds me to say it, but Crowley seems to actually care about her." Dean finished his lunch and shoved the plate aside.

"Do you think it has to do with the fact that we almost cured him?" Sam asked, letting his book drop to rest on the table.

"Do you think he would be capable of actually caring about someone if we didn't?"

Sam shrugged. His brother made a good point. But according to Rose, they had been together long before they tried to cure him. "You know, I never pictured Crowley as the type to fall in love."

"I never pictured my sister getting married to a demon." Dean retorted.

Sam huffed a breathy laugh. "I never thought we would reach a point in our lives where we were on good terms with the King of Hell and our sister was the Queen and a witch."

Dean raised his brows, staring off in space. "Wow. This is our life now."

"Yeah." Sam mirrored his brother's posture. This was their life now.

* * *

Rose was covered in blood. The room was filled with mutilated corpses. Some had their guts spilling out of their carved-up abdomens. Her right forearm was buzzing with energy. Through the blood and guts staining her face, Rose was smiling. She didn't move, but her eyes took in the sight of the butchered bodies, and she grinned.

Amongst the bodies laying at her feet were those of her family. Her brothers, her husband, her stepson, even the angel of Thursday and the young Novak girl. Rose only laughed.

The Queen of Hell inhaled sharply and sat up. The satin blankets slid away from her barely clothed body. She whipped around, checking the dark room around her. She looked down at herself, her dark red nightgown, the pile of bedding. She reached across her body to rest a hand on her right forearm.

'_Just a dream,_' Rose repeated to herself. '_Just a dream._'

The King of Hell walked into the room silently. The first thing he saw was Rose sitting up in bed staring at the wall on the other side of the room and rubbing her right arm.

"Everything alright, Flower?" He asked quietly. Rose was ripped out of her thoughts, out of replaying her dream.

She nodded. "Yeah. Just a bad dream."

"Care to share?" Crowley sat on the edge of the bed.

Rose shook her head quickly and forcefully. She shifted around in the bed, twisting underneath the soft blankets to face the demon. "How is everything? I didn't mean to pass out so early, I was just so exhausted…"

"Everything's fine. For now. Although when mother dearest wakes up, I might be saying otherwise." Crowley leaned across the bed to kiss her forehead. "Go back to sleep. You need the rest."

"I'm fine. Besides, I'm wide awake now. No chance of falling back asleep anytime soon." Rose forced an awkward chuckle, but scrambled out of bed anyway. She was desperate for something to take her mind off of the unnerving nightmare now etched in her brain.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" Crowley tried again. He was beginning to worry. He had seen Rose after nightmares before. In typical Winchester fashion, she didn't always enjoy talking about them, but she was never as antsy and shaken as she was now. Most times, she would go about cleaning her weapons or scoff at the memory of it. She was a hunter and a Winchester after all. It was against her nature to be afraid or rattled by something.

So this behavior was odd.

Rose paused and sighed. She gnawed on her lip and quickly resumed getting dressed. Before speaking, she removed a fresh set of jeans and a tshirt from the dresser and tugged them on. "How much do you know about the Mark of Cain?"

"Enough to understand how it works, but not enough to be considered an expert." He frowned. "Is that what your dream was about?"

"Then what about transferring curses? Is it possible for some of it to get left behind?" Rose avoided eye contact as she went about her business. She threw open the closet. The first item she reached for was a blood red sweater, but as she ran her hand over it, she shoved it aside instead. That shade wasn't one she wanted to see right now. She wanted to forget her dream. So Rose opted for a thick, black sweater that came down just inches above her knees.

Crowley pushed himself off the bed and strode over to his wife. He grabbed her hand before it could shut the closet again, spinning her around to face him. He placed his other hand on her cheek, forcing her to look at him. "Were you dreaming about the Mark of Cain? What happened?"

"I...there was so much blood." Rose shut her eyes as she told him. "I don't know what happened. All I know is that I killed everyone. I killed my brothers, Cas, Claire, Gavin...I killed you...and I was just smiling."

Crowley pulled her into a hug, tucking her head against his neck.

"Was something left behind when I gave it back to Dean?" Rose asked softly.

"Not likely."

"But it's possible."

"It's possible." Crowley answered just above a whisper. "But if something did get left behind, it wouldn't be enough to send you over the edge like that."

"Then what? What's it gonna do to me?" Rose bit down on her lip to the point where she could taste the nauseating copper flavor of blood.

"I don't know." Crowley practically choked on the words. But it was true, he had no idea. The Mark of Cain was one of the few things in existence that he didn't know much about. "But if the Mark is really just a curse, then we should be able to dig something up about the side effects."

Rose nodded against his warm skin, feeling the underside of his stubble scratching against the side of her head. "Alright. We'll figure it out together."

Crowley couldn't help but smile. He was so used to working on his own, but working with Rose was something he always enjoyed. He was cunning and well educated, but Rose was creative and patient when it came to getting results. Crowley saw the big picture, Rose saw the details. Gavin was right: they were a good team. In fact, Hell wouldn't be running as smoothly as it was without his queen.

"When are your dear brothers expecting you back?"

"They'll call when they've got Metatron. Although, I'm expecting it won't be for several Hell-days. Maybe a week or two. Plenty of time for me to pester you about that soul."

"Right." Crowley cleared his throat. "I would suggest postponing that conversation until you've had something to eat, but I get the feeling you might rather deal with it on an empty stomach."

Rose pulled her head away to look at the demon. She raised an eyebrow. "Am I gonna get sick or something?"

Crowley shrugged. "It's possible."

"Wonderful." Rose groaned. "Alright, let's just get it over with."

Crowley (as usual) offered his arm. Rose took it, placing her hand in the familiar crook in his elbow. They strolled from their quarters through the halls of the palace down to the King's (and now the Queen's as well) dungeon. The residents of the royal dungeon were there only because the King wished to deal with them personally. No run-of-the-mill soul or demon would be caught dead down there. No, the King kept his favorite and most loathed prisoners down there, be it a rogue demon, an alpha, a captive angel, or a soul that caught Crowley's attention.

"We have the whole walk for you to tell me, you know." Rose stated.

"Yes, I know, love." Crowley nodded, placing his free hand over the one she had resting on his arm. "But I think you should see it for yourself."

"This soul must be pretty special. This some lover of yours?" She teased.

Crowley offered no answer other than an anxious laugh.

Now Rose was worried. This _was_ a special soul if Crowley had it taken off the rack. Was it an old lover? Is that why its fate rested in her hands? Did he think she would take pleasure in killing his lovers?

When Crowley halted beside a locked, solid iron door with a small, barred window around eye level, Rose was ripped from her thoughts, only to be plunged into more. This was it. This was the soul. What should she be expecting? Who was the other side of the door? Why was Crowley acting so odd and cryptic about this soul?

"I'll be out here if you need me." Crowley rested his hand on the doorknob, letting Rose go. She gulped, then nodded. In one methodic movement, the iron door creaked open. It shut gently behind the Queen, but never locked.

The cell was well enough lit. There was a rough looking bed of sorts against one of the walls, upon which sat a man. He wasn't chained down, but he looked too exhausted to even attempt breaking out. Rose guessed he must've spent a very long time on the rack before being freed from the torture. But for him to have been there so long and still be a human soul….it was impressive. He must've been a strong man indeed.

"Do I finally get to speak to who's in charge? Or are you back to torture me some more?" The gruff voice rang through the cell. It was low and gravelly, like he had screamed himself hoarse a hundred times over mixed with the head cold of the century. Rose thought it sounded familiar at first, but she couldn't place it.

"I'm the Queen, if that helps. And the torture all depends on you." Rose answered quietly, mustering what confidence she could find amongst her racing mind.

But when the man turned around to face her, Rose felt her eyes bug out of her head. Her jaw went slack and her heart pounded in her ears. She knew him. She knew this man - this strong and stubborn man. And she knew why Crowley had him taken off the rack.

The man had nearly the same reaction when he saw the proclaimed Queen. Was it really her? Was it just another trick? Another sick form of torture? Was any of this real?

"Rosie?"

"Dad?"

* * *

**Somebody cue the dramatic music!**

**Well, the finale went better than I expected! And now I know _exactly_ how the rest of the story will play out! I just have to write it! ****Though I have to admit, I've been doing more work on other stories when I should be working on this one...**

**Anywho, still looking for songs! Please send them my way!**

**As always, any requests/questions/comments/criticisms are welcome and appreciated! I do not own Supernatural, but I do own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom.**


	29. Chapter 29

_But when the man turned around to face her, Rose felt her eyes bug out of her head. Her jaw went slack and her heart pounded in her ears. She knew him. She knew this man - this strong and stubborn man. And she knew why Crowley had him taken off the rack._

_The man had nearly the same reaction when he saw the proclaimed Queen. Was it really her? Was it just another trick? Another sick form of torture? Was any of this real?_

_"Rosie?"_

_"Dad?"_

* * *

**CHAPTER TWENTY NINE**

**In which Rose and John get caught up**

(Written to: Finding the Director by Jeff Williams from Red vs Blue Season 10)

Listenonrepeat: /?v=OjManTRsyeo#27%3A_Finding_the_Director_-_RvB_Season_10_OST_(By_Jeff_Williams)

* * *

Neither Winchester spoke. They were both still processing. Was this real? How could it be?

The first thing Rose croaked out was a cry for her husband, who wasted no time in entering the room.

"Everything alright, Flower?" He asked, his voice trickling with worry. Rose barely moved her gaze from her father now standing across the room from her.

"He's the one you took off the rack?" Rose muttered.

"Yes, love." Crowley would have simply nodded, but she wouldn't have seen him.

"Am I dreaming?" She asked.

"No."

Rose swallowed hard. "Gimme a minute."

Then she fled into the hall. Crowley slowly followed her, latching the door behind him. Rose paced for a moment before resting a palm on her forehead and leaning against the wall.

"Should I not have done that?" Crowley asked.

Rose licked her lips in thought, then gnawed on her cheek before shaking her head. "It's fine I just need a minute. I wasn't expecting that is all."

Crowley respected that. She gave her a moment to collect her thoughts and to even her breathing. However, a moment quickly turned into five moments. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, easily breaking her from her trance.

Rose looked over at her husband, then nodded. "Yeah. Okay. I got this."

With one last deep breath, Rose reentered the cell. John Winchester was instantly on his feet and staring at his daughter - or hallucination.

"Rose...is that really you?" He asked carefully.

Rose bit her lip and nodded. "Yeah, Dad. It's me. This isn't an illusion."

"How do I know for sure?"

"Dean showed me your journal. Those pages you wrote about me…" Rose trailed off and sighed. It was possible any demon could know John's every thought if they were torturing him. She had prove it was her. "I remember that frog. I was seven. We were in Delaware. I don't know what you were hunting, but there was a carnival. Sammy was afraid of running into a clown, so Dean stayed with him in the motel, and we went to the carnival - just the two of us.

"We were walking down the line of carnival games and when I wanted to play some, you told me how they were all rigged - explained it down to the last detail. But then I saw this giant stuffed frog. He must've been half my size and the fluffiest thing I had ever seen. I didn't ask you about it because I knew I had no chance of winning it. But you took my hand and marched over to the balloon darts anyway. You told off the guy running the booth and you pulled out your gun and shot the balloons instead of using their darts. The guy was so scared you'd shoot him that he gave you the frog.

"When we got back to the motel, Dean and Sammy kept teasing me about having a stuffed animal and I got so upset that all I could do was hide in the bathtub with my frog. You told them off and said if they wanted their own toys they could march their lazy asses down to the carnival and win one for themselves." Rose smiled at the memory. It felt like forever ago.

"I loved that frog. Took it everywhere I went. Until….until that one night...I was so mad - I left that frog in that motel. I wish I hadn't…" Rose let her eyelids press together. She felt her eyes beginning to sting. Her emotions were churning so much that she was beginning to feel physically sick.

"Do you really think I left a single motel room without checking every corner? You three were kids. You left stuff behind all the time."John replied softly, his lips tugging up gently. He hadn't forgotten that frog - or that night. Rose wore that poor frog ragged. The moment he saw her in the back of the Impala without it, he knew she was livid with him. Even as a kid she was headstrong.

Rose let her glazed-over eyes settle on her father. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I kept your frog. Left it with your brothers." John tried to smile, but the sadness in his eyes negated that effort.

"You...you kept it?" Rose expression mirrored that of her father's.

"Of course I kept it. It was the last bit of your childhood. I knew you once you found out….there would be none of it left. I-"

"But you told Dean and Sam."

"That was different. You're my little princess, Rosie."

Rose swallowed hard. Words that had been churning inside of her for almost 20 years now were about to spill out - and she felt like she had absolutely no control over it. "I didn't want to be a princess, Dad. I've always been a fighter - ever since I was a kid. I grew up with two brothers. The only reason I got to sleep on a bed at night is because I fought for it and won - and they _knew_ how to fight!"

"I know, but I never wanted that life for you -"

"Why? Because I'm a girl?" Rose spat, her fists curling and her jaw tensed.

"It was never about that and you know it!" John shouted right back.

"No, Dad, it was. If you were waiting until a certain age to tell us, I would've known when Sam did. If you were waiting until I knew how to defend myself, that would've happened when I was six! If you were waiting until I had the brain cells to understand, I would've known years before you finally told me! You didn't even bother telling me that there were things I just didn't know - no, you had to go and lie about it! Lie to _me_ for 13 years of my life! I had trust issues for years after that!"

John would have spoken up, but he had had centuries more to think about this conversation than Rose did. He knew that she needed to say everything that was on her mind, then she would be able to listen to what he had to say.

"Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't handle things! I mean look at me! I'm the Queen of Hell! I'm a better hunter than half the hunter population! I've cleared out vamp nests on my own! I've killed so many demons, I can't even begin to count them! Hell, I'm _married_ to one! Being a girl has nothing to do with strength and ability! And news flash, Dad: Mom was a hunter and a damn good one too!"

John was taken aback. "She...what? How do you….?"

Rose huffed and closed her eyes, attempting to control the shaking rage she felt bubbling inside her. "It's...a really long and complicated story and I don't even know if you would believe it."

"How about-" John cleared his throat. "I tell you my story and why I didn't want to tell you about hunting, and you can tell me your story."

Rose took a deep breath. Her lips were pressed tightly together. Then she nodded. "Okay. But tell me one last thing: were you ever going to tell me?"

"Of course." John replied almost instantly.

"When?"

This time, he took longer to reply. "When I knew you wouldn't be afraid of the dark."

"Afraid of the dark? I've never been afraid of the dark." Rose scoffed. "Dean was the one who insisted that we needed a night light at every motel."

"Because he knew you didn't like the dark." John answered slowly. "He noticed how you fell asleep faster when a light was on. He watched you toss and turn when it was pitch black. You used to bury yourself in blankets even when your brothers were sweating - just to feel safer. You sorta grew out of it after a while….but I didn't want to take the chance that you would end up being afraid of everything if I told you."

Rose nodded while she inhaled, letting the deep breath expand her lungs and calm her nerves.

"Crowley." Rose called just loud enough for him to hear.

The door creaked open. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah. We're gonna talk for a while. I know you've got stuff to do. We'll be fine." Rose answered, not once tearing her gaze from her father.

"Alright, love. Call if you need me." And with that, Crowley headed back to his throne.

"You wanna go first or should I?" Rose asked, finding the courage to sit next to her father on the dinky little bed.

"Your story sounds far more interesting." John quipped, letting a smile curve his features.

"Alright. Well...after you died-"

Rose went on to tell her story. She started from the moment John died. She told him about how they killed Azazel, how she left for Chicago, how his sons started and ended the Apocalypse. She told him how she met Crowley and how they fell in love. She told him everything she could remember from what Sam and Dean told her.

And when she finished, John explained his side of the story - about how he didn't want his children to have the life they did, how once Sam was attacked, he knew he would have to tell Rose one day soon. He told her everything about how he got into hunting and why he did everything he did. He had vowed to protect his children and raise them right - and he did the best job he could in the circumstances. He was no father of the year, but the Winchester siblings had turned out pretty alright anyway.

* * *

Crowley sat on his throne flipping somewhat absentmindedly through papers. His mind couldn't help but wander to Rose. She was shaken - on the verge of fleeing Hell. Momentarily, he wasn't sure if he had done the right thing when he pulled John Winchester from the rack.

Rose would have to tell him later. He was smart, but he wasn't always attuned with others' emotions. That was a bit of a gray area for him. Anger and violence he understood well enough. Though the jumble of confusing emotions humans experienced day to day were something he was still struggling to understand and handle himself.

Flipping to the next page, he took a deep breath and tried to blink away his lack of focus.

Naturally, that was all shattered the moment he heard his mother's usual, clicking footsteps headed towards him.

Out of pure habit, when Rowena entered the room, the various demon staff scurried out of sight.

She looked around the room half-heartedly. "Oh? Where is that lovely daughter-in-law of mine this morning?"

"Taking care of some business." Crowley retorted, not even bothering to look up.

"On her own?"

"She's the Queen. She can do whatever she bloody wants." He flipped to the next page, wishing she would let him work in peace. Rowena, however, was far from finished with their little conversation. She made her way over to her son and peered at the paperwork before him.

"Picking out a new throne? It still seems in fair shape, though, don't you think?" Rowena asked, looking from the regal chair Crowley sat upon to the pile of papers in his hands.

"If you must know, I'm having one made for Rose." Crowley answered with a huff.

"Oh, I see." Rowena hummed to herself, choosing her words carefully. "Are you sure she's ready for one just yet?"

Crowley flicked the papers down with a small thud against his legs. He looked up at the redhead in exasperation. "And what is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"You run Hell, do you not? So shouldn't you know everything that's happening with it? She was smuggling demons to the surface for who knows how long without your knowledge. It makes me wonder what else she might be hiding from you." Rowena ran a maternal hand across Crowley's short hair.

"It doesn't matter. She has the same say on matters as I do. She can do what she wants, and we'll figure it out. Don't concern yourself with our business." Crowley quickly dismissed the notion. He waved off his mother with a careless hand and resumed browsing through throne designs.

No matter how hard he tried to remain focused, his mind kept wandering. He _did_ wonder what else Rose had done while she was a demon. It wasn't a topic Rose enjoyed remembering, so he never pushed it. Perhaps he needed to. Rowena (unfortunately) had a point: he was King and he needed to know everything pertaining to his domain. Rose was welcome to do what she liked, but Crowley needed to know.

* * *

**Well, I hope you enjoyed the fluffy stuff while it lasted! I probably should have said that last chapter...I'm always iffy about writing John Winchester, so I hope he isn't too horribly out of character.**

**On a somewhat related note, I set up a fic blog on Tumblr yesterday! There isn't anything there just yet, but if you're interested, check out upwritingpastmidnight. And please feel free to request anything! Only half of what goes on Tumblr will be posted here, so if you want full access to every oneshot/drabble, don't be shy and give it a follow.**

**Anywho, still looking for songs so please send them my way.**

**As always, any requests/comments/questions/criticisms are welcome and appreciated. I do not own Supernatural, I only own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom.**


	30. Chapter 30

_Rose went on to tell her story. She started from the moment John died. She told him about how they killed Azazel, how she left for Chicago, how his sons started and ended the Apocalypse. She told him how she met Crowley and how they fell in love. She told him everything she could remember from what Sam and Dean told her._

* * *

_No matter how hard he tried to remain focused, his mind kept wandering. He did wonder what else Rose had done while she was a demon. It wasn't a topic Rose enjoyed remembering, so he never pushed it. Perhaps he needed to. Rowena (unfortunately) had a point: he was King and he needed to know everything pertaining to his domain. Rose was welcome to do what she liked, but Crowley needed to know._

* * *

**CHAPTER THIRTY**

**In which Rose still needs sleep**

(Written to: Bedtime by Alan Menken from The Little Mermaid)

Listenonrepeat: /?v=-UQsECA7RZU#Bedtime_(score)_-_The_Little_Mermaid_OST

* * *

Rose and John had spoken so long that one of Crowley's personal demon minions had come by three times to check on the Queen and bring her food. They had laughed and they had cried, and they were all caught up. John had scolded her and apologized; Rose had defended herself and also apologized. They were finally on good terms after so many years. Rose was exhausted, but she wasn't yet ready to leave her father. So when Crowley himself at last came to check on her, Rose had a few ideas of her own.

Crowley knocked, then pushed the door open without waiting for a reply. "How is everything going, Flower?"

Before Rose could reply, John rose to his feet. "So you're the demon that married my little princess?"

"Dad-" Rose clambered to her feet - only to sit right back down. Her head had experienced a bit of vertigo when she stood, leaving her lightheaded and dizzy. Turns out going several days without sleep was a horrible idea, especially after several days without sleep beforehand and barely any hours of rest in between.

"Yes, and now she's _my_ queen." Crowley replied simply. John squared his posture. He may not have had a real body at the moment, but he was going to do his damned best to intimidate the demon before him.

"Could you two not? I'm happy and that's what matters. So put the damn rulers away and get over it." Rose scolded from her seat.

Neither man spoke for a moment but continued to watch each other closely.

Crowley was the first to break the silence. "I hate to interrupt, but your phone has been ringing for the past hour."

Rose instinctively patted her pockets. She had forgotten to bring her phone. Smirking at his tired wife, Crowley produced her smart phone and handed it to her.

Sure enough, she had 5 missed calls from her brothers. Gesturing for a moment with her finger, Rose began to listen to the 2 voicemails she had.

"_Hey Rosie,_" Dean's voiced seeped through the speaker. "_Cas and Sam just went to pick up Metatron. They should be back soon, so if you're gonna join, you might as well start heading back now._"

The next was from Sam, left 5 minutes ago. "_Hey. We've got Metatron and we're headed back to the Bunker. We should be there in a few hours._"

Rose clicked the phone off, then stumbled to her feet. Latching onto Crowley's offered forearm, Rose answered the unspoken question. "They've got Metatron and are heading to the Bunker."

"Then you have some time to sleep." Crowley commented after looking her up and down.

"I'll be fine." Rose waved him off, now determined to stand on her own strength. "This isn't the first time I've gone a while without sleep. I'm not letting Metatron sit in the dungeon in peace - not after what he did."

"And the last time you went so long without a proper rest, you confronted him, he killed you, and you became a demon." Crowley retorted, thoroughly unimpressed with Rose's cocky determination.

"You _what?!_" John roared.

"Right...I didn't quite get to that..." Rose mumbled. "Look, Dad, it's not a big deal. Sam and Dean cured me - I'm fine. Metatron has a permanent home in Heaven's prison and we're working on a cure for the Mark of Cain."

"You were a _demon_! I think that qualifies as a big deal!"

Rose held up a weary hand, her face straight with exasperation and seriousness. "Dad. We're big kids. We've got this."

"You could at least get some rest before you leave." Crowley tried again.

"What is this? Gang up on Rose day?" Rose scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"Call Moose, ask how long they'll be, and then get some rest. For every few hours up there, it's at least a day here. You have plenty of time." Crowley pressed.

Rose sighed. "Fine. Fine, alright."

So she retrieved her phone again and dialed - she was going to call Sam, but last second decided to try Castiel instead.

"Hello?" His gravelly voice echoed through the little device.

"Cas, it's Rose."

"Is something wrong?"

"No! No, nothing's wrong. How far from the Bunker are you?"

She could hear rustling on the other end and presumably the angel turning to the Winchester in the car and asking how long they'd be.

"Another hour and a half," was his answer.

"Alright. I'm gonna try to be there when you get there." Rose replied. Before he could hang up, Rose called through the receiver: "Cas, I have another question."

At this, Crowley perked up and began to pay closer attention to his queen.

"Of course. What is it?"

"When Heaven got locked up, weren't the souls kicked out too?" Rose scrunched her face in thought and began to gnaw on her cheek.

"That's right."

"So are the souls still in limbo or are they back?" By this point, John was invested in the half a conversation he could hear.

"We've managed to get them back into their personal heavens, yes. And there are multiple angels taking care of soul traffic right now. Why do you ask?"

"So if there were a soul down here that really should be in Heaven, I could send him up and he'd be okay?" Rose asked. At last, John and Crowley understood what she was asking.

"If you offered the angels some warning beforehand, yes, you could send a soul to Heaven and he would be fine." Castiel answered slowly.

"Okay. Thanks Cas. Drive safe." With that, Rose hung up.

"You plan to send him to Heaven?" Crowley asked.

"Of course." Rose's eyebrows remained scrunched together. "But first I need to tell my brothers that Dad is okay. If they wanna come down to see him, could that be arranged?"

"As I keep reminding you, you're the Queen now. You can do whatever you want."

"Unfortunately, I don't have any demonic mojo left. I can teleport, but only myself and I can't even get in and out of Hell. So I would need your help. And I'd rather no one know they were here. The demons don't exactly love my family." Rose sat on the edge of the bed again.

"They don't need to love them. They have to listen to you no matter what." Crowley stuffed his hands in his pockets. "If you plan on getting rest, now would be the time to do it."

Rose inhaled, then nodded. She pushed herself to her feet as she exhaled. Her father was only a soul now, or else she would have hugged him. Instead, she offered a smile.

"Dad, I'm-"

"Rosie, go get some rest. I'm not going anywhere." John cut her off.

Rose nodded again. "Alright. Dad….I love you."

John beamed, his smile growing exponentially on his weary face. "I love you too, princess."

Rose couldn't help but laugh and correct him. "Queen."

Then she took Crowley's offered arm, and left the room. As they walked, Crowley leaned his head near her ear and muttered.

"He can call you princess all he wants, but you're _my_ queen."

Rose grinned. "I know. And you're _my_ king."

"Glad you see it my way." The demon king straightened his posture with a smug look.

They finished their walk to their bedroom in content silence, not passing a single witch, soul, or demon along the way. But the moment they entered the room, Crowley shut the door and in one swift movement had Rose pinned up against it. His lips crashed down upon her's in a hungry passion. He had gone long enough without her.

* * *

**This turned out a lot shorter than I anticipated, so my apologies. I promise next chapter will be longer.**

**First off, I would just like to say: HOLY COW. Over 30 followers and almost 20 favorites. I honestly never thought that many people would be interested in this story! Thank you all so so much! If there is anything any of you would like to see from this story or a new one all together, don't hesitate to let me know! Any and all ideas are wonderful!**

**As always, my box is open for anything about anything, even if it's just to talk to someone. I do not own Supernatural, but I do own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom.**


	31. Chapter 31

_They finished their walk to their bedroom in content silence, not passing a single witch, soul, or demon along the way. But the moment they entered the room, Crowley shut the door and in one swift movement had Rose pinned up against it. His lips crashed down upon her's in a hungry passion. He had gone long enough without her._

* * *

**CHAPTER THIRTY ONE**

**In which Metatron gets a dose of his own medicine**

(Written to: The Diadem by Alexandre Desplat from Deathly Hallows Part 2)

Listenonrepeat: /?v=pSVgcIvHVEM#13_The_Diadem_-_Harry_Potter_and_the_Deathly_Hallows_Part_II_Soundtrack_HQ

* * *

Rose had gotten a surprising amount of wonderful sleep and made it to the Bunker just after her brothers had secured Metatron in the dungeon. Castiel had explained that he had to return the scribe in the same physical shape as he had taken him - so no one was allowed to rough him up.

But Rose wasn't about to let the dickbag off scot free. No, she had half a mind to storm into the dungeon and beat him within an inch of death. But the other half of her mind had taken a page from Crowley's book.

So while Sam and Dean attempted to chat up Metatron, Rose scurried around the various storerooms looking for what she needed.

"Calamus root….chicory….lotus? Where the hell would they keep lotuses?" Rose mumbled to herself, holding the book in her open hand and resting it on her hip. She ran a finger along the edge of all of the shelves, seeking each ingredient. When she found each one, she placed it in a cardboard box she had set in the middle of the room.

Thankfully, she found lotuses hiding behind the mistletoe and tossed those in as well. Now she just needed parosela and then to snag a lock of Metatron's graying hair.

"Have you found everything?" Castiel silently poked into the storeroom.

"Almost. I just need parosela." Rose gave him a glance before turning back to the shelves. "It's kinda wiry looking with tiny blue flowers."

The angel entered the room and began combing the shelves as well.

"And you're sure this will work?" Cas asked.

"I'm sure. I may not have been born a witch, but I've gotten pretty good if I do say so myself. Haven't blown anything up in a few weeks." Rose replied.

"That...doesn't exactly make me feel any better about this. If I return Metatron damaged-"

"You won't, Cas. As a hunter, I've been using spells for a long time. The only difference _now_ is that I have real magic to back it up." Rose explained. "And if by any small chance something does happen, I'll have snapdragons on hand just in case and I know a fair few hex-breakers and countercurses. They were the first - well one of the first - things that Crowley made me learn."

Cas didn't reply this time, but silently nodded more to himself than to Rose.

"Found it." He called out. He reached back on one of the taller shelves and retrieved the wiry plant. He placed it in the bag beside the other plants. Rose bookmarked the spellbook and placed it in the box as well.

"How are you doing?" The angel asked. Rose froze midbend and watched the angel. "You share more with your brothers than you care to admit, and given their past behaviors, you're likely brooding on the inside and intend to take out your frustration on the first monster that presents itself."

"You tryin' to analyze me?" Rose righted her posture and crossed her arms.

"No." Castiel briefly shook his head. "Only trying to make sure you're alright."

"Thanks for asking, Cas, but I'm fine." Before the angel could say anything else, Rose hoisted the box from the ground and made her way to the dungeon. As she approached, she could hear her brothers getting absolutely nowhere with the Scribe of God. So when she reached the room, she stood in the doorway, allowing herself to be seen.

The light behind her silhouetted her figure, but Metatron knew it was her instantly. His words and motions froze as his gaze fell on her. "Well now it's a party!"

"Shut up." Dean growled. Rose walked into the room with her head held high and a small smirk imprinted on her face.

"He give you anything?" She asked softly, as if she actually cared if Metatron heard or not.

"Not a thing." Sam huffed.

"I got it from here, boys." Rose replied, never taking her gaze from the trapped angel. Sam and Dean exchanged knowing and slightly worried looks, but they left anyway.

"So what - is it your turn to torture me now? 'Cause in case you've forgotten: you can't touch me." Metatron egged her on.

"I know." Rose replied simply. She knelt on the ground, setting the box to her side. She laid the spellbook open to her marked page, leaving a sizeable space between her and the book. Next she pulled chalk from the box and began to etch on the ground.

"So what's your game? You and I both know I won't help you, and you can't torture me - so you're shit outta luck, little lady." Metatron all but cooed.

"See that's where you're wrong." Rose's smirk never fell and she never stopped drawing the symbols. "The instructions were that you can't be physically harmed. But no one ever said anything about mental damage."

Metatron laughed. "So what are you gonna do? Psychoanalyze me?"

Rose chuckled to herself. She pulled two, gray candles from the box and set them on either side of the symbols - one to her right and one to her left. Next came the bronze bowl and a mortar and pestle. She ground each ingredient then added it to the bowl. As she stood with a knife in hand to retrieve a lock of the mousy hair, Rose began to recite the spell.

"Déan an aigne príosún , a líonadh le dóiteáin agus nightmares , spraoi ar eagla , a mharú go léir dóchas ."

Just as she finished, Rose dropped the little lock of hair into the bowl.

The contents began to glow, brighter and brighter until Rose felt the need to squint. But Metatron's eyes grew wide as the spell poured into him. The light traveled from the bowl and into his vessel.

The moment the light went out, the pompous angel shuddered. Then he looked up at the hunter-turned-witch. "That the best you go-"

He was cut off by a convulsion. He lurched forward, his body reacting on its own as spell began to sink in. "What the hell did you-"

His muscles contracted again. He gritted his teeth.

"A spell that will torture you for me, so I don't have to get my hands dirty. And if you're thinking that you're gonna walk out of this just fine - think again." Rose stood before Metatron, rested her hands on the arms of the chair he was chained to, literally getting in his face. "Don't forget: _you killed me_."

No sooner had the words left Rose's mouth, Metatron's eyes flared - but he wasn't looking at Rose anymore. Images cycled through his mind. Flashes of the things that terrified him, constructed experiences of being thrown head first into all of those things. He saw things worse than Hell - things that he was sure only his father could imagine.

Rose, however, took a spare chair from the adjoining room and sat with her arms crossed and her hair splayed over the back. "When you decide to give me the information I'm looking for, I'll make it stop."

Metatron wanted to give a witty retort - wanted to show her that she'll never break him - but he was too far withdrawn into his mind. His body reacted with every mental construct. His brain created the sensation of every pain he felt - the heart stopping anxiety and panic sunk into his vessel's body.

Rose had outdone herself with this spell. She had allowed her power free reign and topped everything off with cinnamon to strengthen the effects. Unfortunately for the Scribe of God, this only made the spell all the more potent. Rose may not have yet learned to channel and control all of her new magic, but it was strong and she knew how to use it.

So despite Metatron's cleverness and stubbornness, he wasn't sure how long he would last under this wicked spell.

* * *

Crowley looked over the file slowly and carefully - he didn't want to miss a detail. He reviewed every contract, every report, and every footnote. He already had the TV buzzing in the background, ready for the towering pile of security footage collected from across the world.

Rose hadn't done much to cover her tracks during her time as a demon. So when Crowley sent Gerald to fetch everything he could about Rose, the demon didn't have a terribly difficult time doing so. He had managed to scrounge up at least a hundred (perhaps two) tapes and DVDs of footage from stores, houses, bars, and every other place she might have gone. Crowley had retrieved all of the contracts she made and collected on and was nearly finished rifling through them all.

In the extensive file, there were written reports from the odd few demons that were willing to say anything against their new queen. There were tales about her massacres, about smuggling souls and demons out of Hell, and about all of the underhanded, conniving deeds she had committed - including killing several souls that were on their way to becoming demons.

Crowley had intended to ask Rose about it, but he knew she wouldn't be willing to talk anytime soon. She hadn't enjoyed being a demon, and she certainly hadn't enjoyed just how kill-happy she had been. The fact that she was now having nightmares about it was enough of a reason for Crowley to dig into that time period on his own.

But the things he was finding were nothing good. She had done so much more than he anticipated. If she hadn't been cured when she was, Rose would've destroyed Hell without even meaning to - and Crowley would never have known. He hadn't even known any of it while it was happening.

That alone drove him up the wall. His kingdom that he worked so hard to build and perfect could have been destroyed by the woman he loved. Perhaps he shouldn't have made her his queen? Perhaps he needed to set limits for her? After all, aren't kings supposed to be superior? Have control over their queens?

* * *

**My apologies for the slight delay on this chapter! I had a crazy night...nothing bad, just a lot of socializing. My writing mojo is slowly trickling back into my life, so hopefully I'll be able to crank out more chapters before we catch up to what I already have written.**

**About the spell: I was originally going to translate it into Latin, then last minute decided to use Google Translate to put it in Irish Gaelic. If it is incorrect, I am so sorry and please let me know so I can fix it!**

**I would just like to thank everyone for following and favoriting this story! I promise it really makes my day every time I get a notification! You all keep me going and writing and I love every moment - so thank you from the bottom of my heart.**

**As always, my box is always open for anything about anything, even if you just need someone to talk to. I do not own Supernatural, I only own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom.**


	32. Chapter 32

_Rose had outdone herself with this spell. She had allowed her power free reign and topped everything off with cinnamon to strengthen the effects. Unfortunately for the Scribe of God, this only made the spell all the more potent. Rose may not have yet learned to channel and control all of her new magic, but it was strong and she knew how to use it._

_So despite Metatron's cleverness and stubbornness, he wasn't sure how long he would last under this wicked spell._

* * *

_But the things he was finding were nothing good. She had done so much more than he anticipated. If she hadn't been cured when she was, Rose would've destroyed Hell without even meaning to - and Crowley would never have known. He hadn't even known any of it while it was happening._

_That alone drove him up the wall. His kingdom that he worked so hard to build and perfect could have been destroyed by the woman he loved. Perhaps he shouldn't have made her his queen? Perhaps he needed to set limits for her? After all, aren't kings supposed to be superior? Have control over their queens?_

* * *

**CHAPTER THIRTY TWO**

**In which Rose revisits some unpleasant memories**

(Written to: Vivaldi's Summer)

Listenonrepeat: /?v=Es9RgQGw3Gk#Antonio_Vivaldi-The_Four_Seasons-Summer

* * *

Metatron had held out longer than Rose had expected, but she still got enough information out of him for now. So she had nullified the torturous spell and left him to his thoughts after informing him that if he refused to cough up additional information, she would send him back to the pits of Hell in his own mind.

Rose marched out of the dungeon feeling victorious. She had successfully tortured an angel into divulging information without even laying a hand on him. Perhaps this witch stuff was useful after all.

When she walked into the main room of the Bunker (which she called the war room after the table in it) with a pep in her step and a smug smirk on her face, her brothers instantly knew she had been successful.

"So? What do we gotta do?" Dean asked, leaning back in his chair.

"I only have the first step, but he'll be plenty willing to give us the rest in due time." Rose took a seat at the end of the table.

"So what is it?" Sam asked.

"We need the First Blade." She answered without hesitation.

"Well, then I think you should call up your dear husband - he's the one who has it." Dean retorted.

"I know. I'll call him, but do you really think he's gonna give it to me? After the shit I pulled a while back?" Rose countered. That was part of it, she was sure. The other part of her tale was that she had no desire to see that accursed weapon again. It was quite literally her worst nightmare - the thing she felt most brought out the evil buried deep within her. Thanks to the Mark of Cain and the stupid First Blade, Rose felt that evil trickling out more and more every day. She no longer had either of those things, but it was still eating away at her. It was as if they unlocked the door to that section of herself, and she couldn't manage to shut it again.

So she would call Crowley, but she didn't want to be anywhere near the First Blade.

* * *

Thankfully, Crowley was willing to at least meet with them. Rose had been cryptic, saying they needed his help, and while he was still processing all of the new information he had attained, he was still willing to help the Winchesters. Despite everything he just learned, he still loved Rose - he just wanted to keep her on a somewhat tighter leash.

But when they told him exactly what they wanted, Crowley was not so willing to help.

"You want me to do _what_?!" Crowley asked more shocked than angry - for now.

"Okay, look, we need you to bring back-" Sam started.

"Bring back the Blade? I don't think so!" The demon king snapped back. Rose sighed. She was situated on the edge of the Impala's hood, Crowley standing to her side.

"You don't have to give the thing to him." Rose tried. She didn't want to be near the Blade just as much as Crowley didn't want to retrieve it for the Winchesters.

Crowley spun to offer his wife the same incredulous expression he had offered her brothers. "I should say not!"

"No, no, just retrieve it and hang onto it until we need it." Dean added, picking up what Rose was metaphorically putting down. They didn't technically need to have the Blade in their possession just yet.

Crowley turned to the tallest Winchester next. "You. Moose. You're the sane one - you on board with this?"

Little did any of them know, at that very moment, Rowena had begun to spy on them. She overheard every word and saw every movement.

Sam didn't say anything, but his face contorted as if he was attempting to muster a proper response. He - amazingly - was on board with it. He wanted that stupid mark gone for good. He had already watched Rose become a demon - he didn't want to go through the same thing with Dean.

"It's insane!" Crowley exclaimed, striding past the brothers in a fit of frustration. "You want me to procure the most dangerous weapon on the planet for Dean Winchester, the man who goes mental every time he touches it!"

Sam and Dean followed Crowley without any hesitation. All three men had their hands stuffed in their jacket pockets. Rose, however, was content to remain seated on the hood of the car. She had done her bit. She had called Crowley and got the conversation started. She wanted Dean cured just as much as her brothers, but she was too afraid to be anywhere near that weapon.

She scoffed. Too afraid. How could she be a hunter if she was afraid? Neither of her brothers were running from this, but all Rose wanted to do was run as far as possible. She never wanted to see the Mark of Cain or the First Blade again.

"Damn right!" She heard her husband shout. "It's in a crypt with my bones!"

"Alright, well?" Dean tried.

Crowley looked defeated with their stupidity. Did these sodding idiots just not understand? He wasn't going to give them the First Blade!

But he settled for the sassy: "I hate Guam this time of year."

Rose huffed and shoved herself off of the car. She took her time making her way to the men, but spoke as she did. "Then don't get it. We don't have the rest of the fix yet."

The Winchester boys turned on a dime to question her, but Rose spoke before they could.

"Just say you'll get it when we need it. That way we can tell Metatron we have it."

The boys exchanged glances, then turned to Crowley. Rose settled between her brothers, and all three hunters faced the King of Hell, awaiting an answer.

Crowley gnawed his cheek, then ground his jaw, then huffed. "Fine. Once you have all of the information and you need it, I'll get it. But until then, it's staying far, far away from Dean."

"Fine by me." Rose answered for the trio.

The demon's frustration quickly melted into coy smugness. "Shall we seal the deal?"

Rose rolled her eyes. If she hadn't been so on edge about the First Blade, she might've laughed. But nevertheless, she stepped forward, grabbed him by the lapels, and pulled him into kiss - one deeper than was suitable for being in the presence of her brothers.

They instantly groaned and turned, making headway to the Impala. She felt Crowley smirk against her lips before pulling away. Though they weren't kissing anymore, he still held her so close to himself that there was no room for air.

"At last, we're alone." He mused. Rose couldn't help but giggle under her breath. "I've missed you."

"I haven't been gone that long." Rose returned.

"Oh contraire. You have been gone too long." Crowley rested his forehead against her's.

Rose laughed. "Yeah, alright, I'll hurry it up."

Before Rose could head back to her brothers, Crowley pulled her into one more, deep, starved kiss - yet again inducing another bout of complaints from the boys.

* * *

"He's not talking again. You're up Rosie." Sam collapsed into one of the swiveling chairs at the warroom table.

"Alright." She grunted as she stood. "I'll have to grab all the ingredients again. Maybe I'll try another spell…."

"What one?" Sam asked.

"Dunno yet. But it'll make him talk." Rose slid the spellbook off the table and marched through the Bunker.

Little did either sibling know, Dean wasn't really going to the bathroom. After him and Sammy tried talking to Metatron and started to head back to their sister, Dean informed his brother that he needed to use the toilet and would catch up with them in a moment.

Instead of doing what he said he would, Dean headed right back to the dungeon with an angel blade in hand.

As Rose passed the dungeon on the way to the storerooms, she paused for a moment. She could've sworn she heard Metatron yelp in pain. But after a moment of standing there with an ear trained at the closed door, she heard nothing further. So she continued on her way, her mind still drowning in thoughts.

Before the brothers took a second crack at the scribe, Castiel had told them about Claire. She had apparently left, and now the angel wanted Dean to try and talk with her. He would have suggested Rose, but she had already done her part. In fact, she now felt guilty.

Rose had told Claire that Randy was family - that Randy was there for her when she needed him and wouldn't let her down. Rose had drawn parallels between their lives. Claire had Randy to fall back on, and Rose had Crowley. Similar in both situations, each girl's family didn't care for either man. Cas and the Winchesters knew Randy was trouble; Cas and her brothers only tolerated Crowley for her sake.

But then Randy betrayed Claire. Rose had tried so hard to push the sickening thoughts that followed far from her mind, but as all similar thoughts do, they wouldn't go away. Randy was Claire's family beyond blood, and he betrayed her. Claire trusted Randy, relied on him, supported him, and he betrayed her without so much as a second thought.

Would Crowley do the same thing?

* * *

"I'm gonna drive around a little bit, see if I can find Claire." Cas stood from his seat, intent on leaving the Bunker.

"Right now?" Sam asked.

"I have to try." Cas offered a small shrug. What else could he do? Claire wasn't interested in spending time with him or allowing him to watch over her. He didn't even know where she ran off to. He was worried about her, and in his head trying to find her was the only thing that might put his mind at ease.

"Alright, well, be careful." Sam bade him farewell. But just as Cas turned to leave, Sam took a good look around the room. Dean never took long to go to the bathroom. "Hey Cas...where's Dean?"

* * *

Rose took longer than usual to collect her ingredients. She thought she might try out a new spell, one that called for hemlock. Amazingly, the Men of Letters had it in stock - though it took a fair bit of searching to find it.

When she arrived at the dungeon, ready to torture an angel, she found the door locked. She placed the box of ingredients down beside the doorframe and jiggled the doorknob with all her strength. When the door refused to budge a second time, she leaned all of her weight on it.

It was then that her brother and the family angel came racing down the hall.

"Tell me Dean isn't in there." Rose breathed, eyes wide.

The answer came in the form of Metatron's vocalized anguish.

"Shit." Rose muttered. Sam pounded on the door, yelling for Dean to stop and open the way to the dungeon.

"Sam move." Rose instructed, rubbing her hands together in anticipation. The moment Sam moved aside, Cas raised his hand. But the Winchester girl reached out and stopped the angel. "Sorry, Cas, but you'll break it. I got this."

Rose approached the door, placing a hand on the knob and one flat against the wood. "Reclude."

The door swung open with ease, not a splinter out of place. It was a serious upgrade from the ingredient-requiring, paste-y symbol spell she would have had to use prior to becoming a witch. Rose was more grateful for her new abilities than she had anticipated.

Sam was the first to rush in, then Rose, quickly followed by Castiel.

"Dean! Hey! Stop!" Sam sprinted and grabbed Dean under the arms, pulling him back. "Stop!"

While Castiel examined Metatron (internally groaning and sighing at the sight Dean had caused), Rose stood with her brothers. When Sam at last released him, Rose snatched Dean's arm, slapped a hand over the Mark of Cain, and recited the spell: "Absterge."

Dean almost instantly relaxed, all the tension in his body fleeing from some silent force.

"You okay now?" Rose asked quietly. Dean only nodded.

"You were killing him!" Sam barked.

"Sam." Rose placed a hand on her twin's shoulder. She shook her head in small motions. Now was not the time.

"I have to take him back." Castiel announced. He already had Metatron unchained and on his feet, heading for the door.

"Cas, this won't happen again." Sam tried. Their one lead was about to be gone forever.

"I gave my word." The angel barked back in his monotone frustration. "I have fences to mend in Heaven, and as it is, I have a lot to explain."

Metatron, with his sick and bloody smug expression, chimed in: "If you ever ask me for help again, I will choose death."

"You realize it's going to get worse, Dean." As Castiel drug the scribe from the room, Metatron called back: "You're gonna get worse!"

* * *

**I have a question for all of you wonderful people. ****Do you guys prefer separate sequels with separate names and all that jazz? Or do you prefer one giant story?**

**I ask because for my next story, I'll either separate it by season or just put it all in one big story. Though I can't post it until I figure that out since it affects the name of the story.**

**Thank you guys for being so wonderful! This week has been crazy and I've had virtually no time to write and my brain is fried, but next week should be a great week for writing!**

**As always, my box is open for anything about anything, even if y'all just need someone to talk to or bounce ideas off of! I do not own Supernatural, but I do own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom.**


	33. Chapter 33

_"You realize it's going to get worse, Dean." As Castiel drug the scribe from the room, Metatron called back: "You're gonna get worse!"_

* * *

**CHAPTER THIRTY THREE**

**In which the Winchesters have a chat**

(Written to: Grey Havens by Howard Shore from Return of the King)

Listenonrepeat: /?v=Bw4zQEnWn6A#The_Grey_Havens_By_Howard_Shore

* * *

Dean hadn't said a word since his sister got him up to the library. He sat in horrified silence with his head resting on his hands, and Rose watching him carefully. Sam had left to grab some beers for them, so Rose seized the moment to talk to him.

"Dean….I know it's rough. I do. All the….urges to just kill - the sick joy you get out of it…" Rose trailed off. She wasn't sure exactly what she was trying to say. Offer comfort maybe? Remind him that he's not alone?

"I don't think you do, Rosie. I wanted to stop and I couldn't. I was going to kill him." Dean berated himself, wincing internally.

"Yes I do, Dean. The only difference is that my conscience was long gone. I didn't have any humanity to cling to." Rose sighed and leaned across the table to watch her brother. "You have a chance at this Dean - at managing the Mark. If Cain learned to live with it, so can you."

"Cain is a demon. Crowley said himself that humans weren't meant to handle the Mark." Dean shot back, running a calloused hand over his weary face.

"I was a demon, too. You're handling it way better than I ever did." Rose countered. Dean sighed. Yeah, she had a point. Yet again. "Dean, you are strong - stronger than I've ever been. If anyone can handle that curse, it's you. But Sammy and I are gonna find a way to get that thing off of you."

Dean took a deep breath and nodded. Rose smiled in return.

When Sam walked in with the beers, Dean and Rose put on expressions that were slightly less somber and solemn than they were all feeling and gratefully accepted the alcohol. They quickly popped open their drinks and began to down them. It had been a long day to say the least.

Just as Rose was beginning to relax, her phone began to ring. She sighed, retrieved her phone, gestured to her brothers for a moment, then left the library to answer.

"Hey, everything alright?" Rose asked, still walking through the halls to the garage.

"Just calling to check in on you is all." Crowley's gruff voice floated through the phone.

"Check in on me?"

"Can a husband not check in on his wife?"

"I suppose he can. But you don't normally, so what's going on?" Rose pressed. She found a suitably comfy car and laid down on the hood, her gaze watching the ceiling.

Crowley sighed. She could hear him shuffling about, no doubt hoping for solitude of his own before he answered.

"How well did you know Guthrie?"

"Not very well. Ran into him once I think, but that's it. What happened?" Rose asked.

"Apparently he was going to try to kill us and there are spies within our court." Crowley huffed.

"I...what?" Rose sat up in shock. "Where exactly did you get this information?"

"Mother dearest. According to her, Guthrie told her all about the plot against us and then attacked her."

"And let me guess: she killed him?"

"Spot on, Flower."

Rose sighed. She rubbed her forehead with her first two fingers and her thumb, as if caressing away a headache. "She's not exactly the most reliable source."

"But on the slim chance there _is_ some plot against us, I don't want you getting hurt. So forgive me if I seem a little worried about you." Crowley barked back.

"So what, you want me to stay up top for a while?"

"Precisely." He answered.

Rose groaned. "Fine. But only since you asked _so _nicely."

She would've continued to be stubborn and gone back to Hell anyway just to spite him, but he was her only way down there. Rose wasn't entirely sure what she thought of Rowena just yet, but she wasn't ready to trust her words. But on the off chance that someone really did have it out for the royal couple, she didn't trust any other demon to ferry her to Hell and back. She really needed to figure out a way to get there herself…..

"Thank you. I'll call if there are any updates." Crowley gruffly replied. "Let me know when you're done. We need to have a little chat."

"Well that's not ominous at all." Rose grumbled. "Fine. Yeah alright I'll call when Sam and Dean are set. Try not to get into too much trouble while I'm gone."

"No promises, love."

Crowley hung up so quickly, Rose didn't even have time to roll her eyes.

"Hey, Rose!" Dean called, tracing his sister's path to the garage. Rose slid off the hood of the car to greet him. Dean didn't wander terribly far into the vast room before saying: "Got a call from Claire. I'm gonna head out. You stickin' around for a bit or heading back to Hell?"

"Actually….yeah I'm gonna stick around for a bit. But I might leave to check on some things." Rose answered.

Dean nodded nonchalantly and left the room with his baby sister in tow.

* * *

Gavin was getting bored. It had been almost six days since his father and his new stepmother had left to deal with his grandmother. Then she had gone to check in with her brothers/his step-uncles and the angel they had adopted as another brother. After running those statements through his head, he felt he really should draw up a family tree to keep it all straight.

While Gavin was still in love with his new ability to read, he had gone through all the reading material in the house probably ten times now. He had spent so much time going over all of the hunting information Rose crammed into him that he was actually itching to do something with it. He promised Rose he wouldn't become a real hunter and take on cases, so he couldn't just go looking for trouble. But she hadn't said anything about letting trouble come to him…..

No, no, he wasn't clever enough for that yet. When he was ripped away to the future, it began to dawn on him just how dense he was, so he had been secretly trying to learn from Crowley and Rose just how to be witty and use the brain God had given him. It honestly wasn't much to go on, he just wanted to feel smart. He had spent his whole life feeling like he was nothing better than the dirt beneath people's feet - he felt alone and as if life were pointless. He was poor and uneducated, a deadly combination in any time period. But now his whole life was turning around.

Unbeknownst to her, Rose had done the most to help him. By teaching Gavin everything she knew about the supernatural world, he had gained a treasure trove of knowledge and by extension a basis on which to not look like a fool every time he opened his mouth.

He was slowly adjusting to the twenty first century as well. Sadly, he wasn't so well acclimated to it that his parental figures would allow him to be among the citizens of modern day France just yet - but being stuck in the little clearing in the woods was driving him insane.

Sure he could step outside, walk for a few miles, and still be on Crowley's property, but he desperately needed a change of scenery. Maybe he could get Rose to take him somewhere?

Oh, but if they were still busy with their business, he didn't want to disturb them. He was on surprisingly good terms with both of them now, but he had learned the hard way that interrupting his father while he was working was the worst idea on the planet. Rose was another story, but if she was with Crowley while they were working, it was still a horrible idea to interrupt.

Gavin sighed and tossed another book aside. He needed to do something different or he was going to rip out his curly hair one strand at a time and count them all just for kicks. He had already done everything he could think of. He had tried cooking, painting, writing, reading, practicing sigils and symbols, reviewing hunting trivia, making holy water, and even adding twenty devil's traps to the house.

He felt like he knew everything extremely well by now. The only thing he hadn't learned was how to fight - something Rose kept putting off, saying that knowledge and a quick mind would work more in his favor than brute force. Perhaps he should try to learn some on his own. He could surprise Rose with it - maybe then should would be more excited to help him with it.

* * *

"So what was the stuff you said about sending a soul to Heaven?" Sam asked. He and his sister had been buried in books ever since Dean left to chat with Claire. It had been a good half hour before either of them dared to break the silence.

"I, uh - well...I kinda wanted to tell you and Dean at the same time, but…" Rose set down her spellbook, resting her forearms flat against the library table. "Crowley pulled a soul from the rack...someone who shouldn't be down there."

"_Crowley_ took a soul off the rack?" Sam exclaimed. "Must be one hell of an important soul! Who is it?"

Rose swallowed hard. "It's Dad. When Dad made that deal with Yellow-Eyes, he was taken to Hell."

"But...he got out, didn't he? When we opened the Gate, he got out, helped us kill him, and then went to Heaven. I mean - his soul disappeared in white light and everything. He certainly looked like he was going to Heaven." Sam countered. His mind was racing and his hand was running through his trimmed hair.

"It doesn't work like that, Sammy. Either a reaper or an angel has to accompany a soul to get it to Heaven. Similarly, demons drag the souls doomed to Hell down to the pit. Otherwise - or if they choose to not move on - they stay and become a pain in hunters' asses. It's hunting 101 - the common cold of hunting." Rose explained.

"So you're saying….he went back to Hell?" Sam knit his eyebrows and his nostrils occasionally flared in thought and worry.

"Well….kinda yeah. He would've just stayed until someone came to get him to Heaven, maybe haunt some things, but when the Gate was opened, there were so many demons…..one of them dragged him back down." Rose shrugged, not really finding any other words to explain the situation.

"So now you're gonna send him to Heaven?" Sam leaned on the table, his large torso practically leaning all the way across it.

Rose nodded. "Yes. But...if you and Dean want, I've arranged with Crowley to get you guys downstairs to visit him before he goes."

The corners of Sam's lips tugged out and up. It wasn't a large or excited smile - more of a typical Winchester half, I-have-mixed-emotions-but-am-mostly-happy-I-guess smile, or perhaps a nostalgic smile as he revisited memories of his father.

Rose smiled in response. That was a load off her chest. More accurately, it was a load off her mind. There were so many things crammed up there now, it was hard to juggle it all. But once her brothers got to see their father one last time, and once John was in Heaven where he belonged, Rose's mind would be relieved of a rather large burden. Then she would have to deal with Rowena and Hell and the alleged assassination plots and the conversation Crowley wanted to have with her. Oh and then she would need to check in with Gavin soon and remember to keep tabs on her brother. And she needed to move her stuff from her Chicago apartment to the cottage in the woods. And she needed to keep practicing and improving her magic-

She had too much to do. There was too much on her mind. There was too much she needed to do all at once. But right now, she needed to deal with her biological family, then she could worry about the family she married into.

* * *

**First off, I would like to formally apologize for any inaccuracy throughout the events of Episode 10. Unfortunately, that was the one episode that I was unable to find much information on. It has been a while since I watched it, there was virtually nothing on YouTube, and when I wrote this, there was next to nothing on the Supernatural Wiki and no transcript.**

**Second, HOLY COW! Over 40 followers and over 20 favorites! You all are so wonderful and lovely! Thank you so so much for the support! Honestly, every little notification makes me smile and keeps me writing. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you for the continued support for this story - even when things get rough.**

**Third...um...I don't really have a third. Although, I never received an answer to my question about sequels vs one long story, so some feedback would be much appreciated.**

**As always, my box is open for anything about anything! I do not own Supernatural, I only own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom.**


	34. Chapter 34

_She had too much to do. There was too much on her mind. There was too much she needed to do all at once. But right now, she needed to deal with her biological family, then she could worry about the family she married into._

* * *

**CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR**

**In which Rose has some downtime**

(Written to: N's Castle remix by Blazaking based on the soundtrack from Pokemon Black &amp; White)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=E0_nv74h6KM#Pok%C3%A9mon_B%2FW_Remix_-_N_s_Castle

* * *

When Dean had finally gotten back and told his siblings about what happened with Claire, Rose then informed him of what she had just explained to Sam maybe an hour prior. Then she grudgingly explained that they would need to wait at least a day or two Earth time before paying Hell a visit. To say the least, they had been less than happy at the idea of a potential assassination plot against their sister.

But Rose had shaken them off, taken up a spellbook, then fled to the cottage in the woods to let them cool off. She just wanted to spend maybe a few hours with Gavin then she would head back.

Rose had teleported herself to the cobblestone path running past the masonry wishing well, and from where she stood, she could see Gavin inside. He looked like he was writing something, maybe drawing. Though as Rose watched her stepson, a giddy and devilish grin spread across her face.

The Winchester set the book down on the quaint stone bench then stretched out her stiff muscles. She popped her knuckles, then her neck. Rose wracked her brain for creative ways to test the unsuspecting victim inside. She wanted to see how her hunting protegee was coming along, and this was the perfect opportunity to do so.

After a quick minute of deliberation, Rose settled upon imitating a poltergeist. So, wiggling her fingers at the end of her outstretched arms and closing her eyes, Rose focused her mind's eye and her magic on the interior of the building before her. She muttered little spell after little spell to shake things around.

Daring to open her eyes - praying that her concentration and magic wouldn't be interrupted - Rose saw Gavin jump into action. So far Rose had only made a few things tremor as if a light earthquake was announcing its presence, so Gavin only looked around. Though he failed to notice Rose outside, he did notice the candlestick that fell over just beside him.

Gavin jumped at the sudden motion. He whirled around searching for a source. When he found none, he raced to the kitchen.

Rose followed him through the window. The fridge began to shake and the silverware in the drawer rattled. Gavin wasn't moving fast enough - in fact he was frazzled. He knew it was time to use his knowledge, but after the stories Rose had told him, and the fact that he was on his own, he wasn't exactly on his game nor was he excited at this very moment.

Rose saw the time it took him to respond. He was getting better, but he wasn't quite there just yet. So her next trick was to run the sink disposal and open the fridge.

Gavin fumbled for the salt and one of the guns he knew Rose kept hidden in the house. Still, he was moving slow. If this had been a real poltergeist acting up, he would be well on his way to the afterlife himself.

Rose shook her head, then launched the next trick. Rose focused on the nearest cord (which just so happened to be attached to the coffee pot) and made it fly after Gavin's neck. Gavin reacted on pure instinct and shot the flying object.

That was when the hunter-turned-witch decided to enter the little abode. All while keeping the trickery going, Rose retrieved the book again and crept from the door to the kitchen to watch Gavin. Surprisingly, he was already within a salt circle large enough to allow him the freedom to reach anything he needed to in the kitchen.

Rose smiled. She cut the tricks then applauded.

"Bravo, Gavin! Not too shabby!" She beamed like a proud mother.

Gavin spun so quickly he probably strained a few muscles and pinched a nerve. "Rose! Thank goodness you're here! I think there's somethin' in the house!"

"That was just me." Rose confessed with a laugh. She gently flicked her left hand and the coffee pot flew back to its place upon the countertops.

Gavin looked from his stepmother to the pot and then back to Rose. "That was you?!"

Rose nodded. "You looked bored."

The boy let out a heavy sigh of relief followed by an awkward laugh. "I think I understand now why you don't want me getting into hunting."

"I'm glad." Rose announced. She plopped the rather large book onto the kitchen island and went to fetch the broom. They had practiced the 'theory of hunting' and making salt circles so many times, Crowley had actually gone and gotten a broom for every room in the house. Rose didn't have to go far, then she set to work.

While she swept, Gavin kept the conversation going. "Is everything sorted now?"

"You mean with Rowena? Far from it…" Rose sighed. "She's not locked up anymore and is walking around Hell like she owns the damn place. She gets on my nerves and I'm trying really hard not to gank her….Crowley wants a second chance with his mother but she's just so - so - so frustrating! And hypocritical!"

Gavin watched as Rose's small and gentle movements escalated to her practically beating the salt grains with the broom. With both a suppressed smile and a concerned expression, Gavin pressed on. "What did she do?"

"Has he ever told you anything about his mother?" Gavin shook his head. "She was horrible to him. Treated him like shit - even tried trading him away for three pigs once. One day she just up and left him - abandoned him on the side of a road. So I don't exactly love the idea of buddying up with her after what she's done. She's a vile bitch…."

Rose huffed and finished sweeping the salt to the nearby doorway. With a great and vicious few shoves from the broom, Rose sent the salt flying outside. She threw the broom back to its place then quickly went to collapse on the sofa.

Gavin hesitantly followed her. Being around someone violently angry never ended well for him. As a child, his father's anger was always taken out on him and Gavin had quickly learned to either get out of his way or make sure he never got mad.

But Rose wouldn't hurt him…..right?

"I mean she's just….disrespectful! And a conniving whore!" Rose seethed. She threw her head back in frustration. There was nothing she could do about Rowena except deal with her and kill her with kindness - something that didn't come naturally to the Winchester girl.

Rose looked over to her stepson. The fire in her eyes caused him to visibly flinch. Instantly, Rose snapped out of her rage, instinctively reaching for her right forearm. "Oh, Gavin! I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine." Gavin quickly cut her off.

"You know I would never hurt you, right? I get mad and I scream and yell, but I never - well...I never hurt family. I might shoot Crowley, but he can handle it." Rose sat up straight and crossed her legs, tucking her feet beneath her thighs. She patted the seat beside her on the sofa, which Gavin slowly made his way over to.

"I know….just reflexes I suppose." He tried explaining.

"I get it." Rose nodded sympathetically. "Some things are hard to unlearn. And I keep forgetting that it still hasn't been a whole lot of time for you since then…."

They trailed off into silence.

"So how exactly did I do earlier?" Gavin asked with a growing, self-confident and proud smile.

Rose's eyes glinted. "Pretty good, actually. We need to work on your reaction time and keeping your cool though."

"If you don't have to get going right away, we could pick up on trainin'." Gavin suggested.

Together, they smiled and jumped off the couch, ready for another training session - one in which Gavin was hoping he would finally learn some self-defense.

* * *

"This is absurd!"

"She is a danger to the very foundation of Hell! You would be doing yourself and your King a favor! You would be saving Hell!"

"I'm not sure the King-"

"The King is preoccupied right now, but once she is out of the way, things will get better - you'll see."

"How do I know you're telling the truth about this?"

"Does truth really matter to a demon? But if you must know, my son has an entire file on exactly why she poses a threat. And in case you've forgotten, I was the one that brought it to his attention. I've already gotten my hands dirty once protecting my son."

"Then why can't you just do this?"

"I'm afraid it is beyond my power to kill the Queen - but someone like you could do it without a problem."

"So what's in it for me?"

"You mean other than keeping your life and saving Hell from certain destruction? Don't worry, dearie; I'll make it well worth your time."

"If the King finds-"

"Let me worry about him. Just get your job done."

* * *

**I certainly hope this isn't getting boring for anyone. I'm trying to balance action and fluff, and I think parts of it just seem to drone. If y'all would like me to pick up the pace and get to the important plot points, I can do that - honest, there is no harm in asking or pestering me. I am writing this for your entertainment just as much as my own, so please don't be afraid to request things like that.**

**Anywho, my box is always open for anything about anything! I do not own Supernatural, but I do own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom.**


	35. Chapter 35

_"I'm afraid it is beyond my power to kill the Queen - but someone like you could do it without a problem."_

_"So what's in it for me?"_

_"You mean other than keeping your life and saving Hell from certain destruction? Don't worry, dearie; I'll make it well worth your time."_

_"If the King finds-"_

_"Let me worry about him. Just get your job done."_

* * *

**CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE**

**In which the Winchesters have a family reunion**

(Written to: A True Gentleman Prefers a Touch of Light Jazz by OCremix)

Listenonrepeat: /watch/?v=IdAJ2dqVxPU#OC_ReMix_%232153%3A_Professor_Layton_Luke%2C_a_True_Gentleman_Prefers_a_Touch_of_Light_Jazz_%5BPuzzles%5D

* * *

Gavin was actually impressing Rose. She had given into his repetitive requests and picked up the fighting lessons again. In only an hour, Gavin was throwing forceful punches and actually hitting his intended target. He must have been doing some serious practicing while she was absent. Though now that she thought about it, it had actually been a few months since she first showed him the ropes of self-defense.

After two hours, he came close to disarming Rose - close, but not quite. It was nearly forty minutes after his near-victory that Sam and Dean finally called their sister to discuss the situation. Little glistening beads of sweat sprinkled on her forehead, Rose sighed, told Gavin she'd just be a minute, then answered her phone.

"Rosie, hey - uh, there's not a chance that Dad would be able to meet us halfway is there?" Dean asked.

"Sorry, Deanie. No can do. I would say you could meet him in Heaven, but according to Cas, it's on a bit of a lockdown right now." Rose would have continued on to say '_And after what happened with Metatron, I doubt the angels want either of you up there with the Queen of Hell_,' but she didn't want to make Dean feel worse than he already did.

She heard her older brother sigh, and she could picture him running a hand over his tired face. "Alright. So when can we go down to see him?"

Dean felt like an complete fool for uttering those words - very carefully dancing around the phrase 'go to Hell' - and Rose could hear it through the phone.

"Like I explained earlier, Hell isn't at its safest right now, so we can't go until Crowley gets his ducks in a row and is willing to take us." Rose explained, biting back the twinge of sass she felt itching to barrage her brother.

"Please don't get me started on that again…" Dean groaned, and the sound of him flopping back into his chair echoed through the phone.

"Are you staying….wherever you are or are you coming back to wait?" Sam asked. It was then that Rose realized she was on speaker.

"Well," Rose glanced over her shoulder to witness the sight of Gavin stretching his already sore muscles. "I'm actually with Gavin. I don't really like all this….leaving him home alone stuff."

"He's a grown adult. He can manage." Dean retorted.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean he's capable of being one. And frankly, he deserves someone taking care of him after all the shit he dealt with in old-timey Scotland." Rose shot back.

"Alright fine. So you babysitting?" Dean asked, sass oozing from his words.

"I'm his stepmother, dumbass. It's hardly babysitting." Rose stunned herself with that statement. This boy wasn't that much younger than her, and here she was being a mother figure to him. She shuddered, but quickly recovered. "But yeah, I'm gonna stay with him a while longer. I'll call you when Crowley calls me, and then I'll be there to grab you two."

"Okay. Let us know if you need anything." Sam replied before Dean could squeeze in another jab, then hung up.

Rose shook her head, almost rolling her eyes, then headed back to Gavin after stowing her phone.

"Sam and Dean?" Gavin asked, currently stretching his deltoids.

Rose nodded. "You ready for a little more or is it time for a break?"

Gavin broadened his stance, allowing his arms to fall back down. "I'm just gettin' started!"

* * *

By the time Crowley finally called her, Rose had spent a full 28 hours at the cottage. In that time, she had worn Gavin to the point of collapse, traveled to New Orleans to pick up some new food for the boy to try, read through the spellbook she brought, and slept all alone in the large bed, seeing as Crowley was unable to leave Hell for the time being.

But he called at long last, saying that things were calming down and he could manage to sneak the hunters down for a family reunion. So just as she had been settling down for bed, Rose instead dressed herself appropriately (the hunter's standard jeans, combat boots, tshirt, and plaid button-up) and got ready to go.

The phone rang, and rang, and rang, and - at last the boys answered.

"Hey losers! Get up, we're going shopping!" Rose shouted into the phone.

"What the-" Dean started.

"No really, get ready to go. We're goin' to Hell, boys!" Rose spoke too cheerily for that statement.

"Jeez, alright, Rosie. Thanks for the advanced warning." Dean grumbled.

"You're welcome!" She added, then hung up. Not a minute later, Rose felt eyes upon her. She spun, instinctively reaching for the gun she had just tucked into the waist of her jeans as well as throwing a simple spell to throw back the target.

As luck would have it, it was just Crowley - and he wasn't too happy about being assaulted yet again in his own home.

"Sorry…" Rose mumbled before rushing over to help her husband to his feet.

"What the bloody hell was that for?!" He grunted.

"Reflex. You were sneaking up on a hunter, you idiot. That's all your fault. You should know by now not to sneak up on me." Rose reprimanded, returning her pistol to her jeans.

"There have been times you didn't attack me." He countered, brushing off his jacket and pants.

"That's because I knew you were there. There are telltale signs, believe it or not. But when I can't identify who's sneaking up on me, I'm gonna attack." Rose huffed, crossing her arms and almost pursing her lips as she ground her jaw. "Are we all set?"

"Of course. We only need Squirrel and Moose." Crowley snatched Rose by the waist, pulling her flush against his body. The cotton of her shirt and the denim of her jeans rubbed against the fine fabrics of his suit and jacket combination, begging to be removed from the situation.

"Crowley," Rose sighed, biting back a moan as the demon trailed butterfly kisses down her neck, taking care to nibble on a particularly sensitive spot just at the base. "We don't have time."

"We could - always go - downstairs for a bit - then get them." Crowley spoke between kisses and bites. As he trailed back up to kiss her tender lips, he added: "We'll have plenty of time down there."

"Crowley." Rose tried again. The demon king pouted and sulked, but stopped his advances.

"Killjoy."

* * *

Crowley ended up taking them straight to the palace dungeon, not terribly far from where John Winchester was being held - less against his will than in the past. Once the three human hunters were all in Hell, the King left to deal with his usual business and his mother. Before running off with her brothers, Rose told her husband that she would be along shortly enough to aid him and have that chat he wanted.

"This way." Rose informed Sam and Dean. Together, the trio hurried through the halls. There shouldn't have been any demons down there, but none of them were willing to take the risk. When Rose came practically skidding to a halt, she gestured to the door, but all three of them were hesitant to make the first move.

Neither brother could believe it. They were about to see their father. Would he be different? Would he still care about them - in his own Winchester way? Had Hell changed him? Had he lost his humanity? After all, it had been...what, 7 years Earth time, so that must've been over 800 years of Hell time. How had he managed to remain human after all that time?

Rose realized she would have to be the one to summon the guts to go first. Seeing as she had already been in there once, this time wouldn't be that difficult - right? So she swallowed hard, moved in front of her brothers, then shoved the door open.

"Dad? I brought some visitors for you." Rose spoke quietly, as if she were disturbing a slumbering person. Though John was seated just the way he had been when Rose saw his soul for the first time.

John turned around quickly, just in time to notice his two sons peering curiously and cautiously into the cell.

"Dad?" Dean was the first to speak, shortly echoed by Sam.

John beamed. His family was all together again, with him where they belonged.

* * *

Rose had spent a good few Hell hours with her family, then wandered off once the men of the family decided to go over John's story. She had already heard it once and had no desire to sit through it again. So she told Sam to call her and left.

She was growing tired again, and stifled a yawn as she walked. Lately, she seemed to be in a vicious cycle. When she wasn't occupied with practicing magic or keeping track of her growing family, she was trapped in an endless cycle of getting angry almost to the point of violence, becoming frightfully exhausted, then have the same nightmare every single time she slept. It was quickly getting to the point where Rose no longer felt comfortable sleeping.

Rose kept trying to dismiss the idea that the Mark of Cain might have left something behind. It had to all be in her head, and the worry from the initial thoughts was making it worse, all in yet another horrible cycle.

Right?

Rose shook her thoughts away with a shake of her head as she entered the throne room - but Crowley wasn't there.

'_Either he went off and forgot to tell me, or he's hiding in one of his private rooms,_' Rose thought to herself. So she set off again, doing her best to keep a clear mind. Though her thoughts refused to stay silent.

So she settled on distracting herself with Rowena. The old witch had easily worked her way under Rose's skin. Perhaps that was her plan all along? To drive Rose insane?

No, according to Crowley, that was just her natural disposition. Rose was inclined to believe that they just needed to spend some time together, perhaps with a common goal, and then they would at least be able to spend 10 minutes in the same room without trying to kill each other.

Rose rounded the corner to the first room she thought to try. She wasn't quite sure what the room actually was, but it was too fancy to be called a living room, so she settled with referring to it as the parlor. There was a dark oak coffee table with matching armchairs upholstered with plush, deep red velvet. Rose always thought a fireplace would look splendid in the grand room, but instead there were antique light fixtures on the wall and a gold chandelier hanging in the middle of it all.

The Queen of Hell strode into the room without hesitation. Still, Crowley wasn't there.

However, there was a certain redhead cross stitching in one of the luscious chairs.

"Oh, hello, dearie! Almost didn't see you come in." Rowena feigned a cheerful appearance. She barely looked up from her work to greet her daughter-in-law.

Rose bit back a snarky retort. "Have you seen Crowley?"

"I don't exactly keep track of his every move. He's a busy man." Rowena replied. Rose barely heard it as the woman was still buried in her menial work.

"So he didn't mention anything to you?" Rose pressed, letting her weight favor her left leg.

"I heard somethin' about checking out a lead on the plot to overthrow the two of you if that helps. Why don't you just call him?"

Rose took a silent, deep breath. She could handle Rowena. Crowley would be back soon. "I'll leave him to his work. There's nothing urgent that I need to tell him."

When Rose didn't move, it shocked both women. Rose crossed her arms, and Rowena stuck her needle halfway through the canvas, then at last looked up at the Queen.

"Is there something you want?" Rowena asked, impatience evident in her tone.

"Actually," Rose shifted her weight. "I think we got off on the wrong foot."

"That's one way of puttin' it." The redhead turned in her chair. Amusement spread across her face.

As Rose continued to speak, she made her way to the chair opposite her mother-in-law and sat down. "You don't exactly have the best reputation, so you can't blame me for being on edge about you."

"I could say the same for you. The demons are terrified of you!" Rowena countered with her smug little corner of a smirk.

"Well then you can understand my…..reservations about you. But seeing as we're technically family now, I would like to at least be on decent terms with you." Rose explained. She gnawed on her cheek. She was doing a poor job, wasn't she? Being a Winchester, feelings and emotions and talking didn't come that easily. Growing up, they never really talked about their feelings - they just dealt with them their own way then moved on. As Dean always says: "no chick flick moments" - and that's how the Winchesters lived. Though Sam and Rose were always more prone to bend that rule, no matter how poorly they ended up going about it.

Rowena didn't reply right away. She honestly hadn't been expecting that. Her posture remained straight and composed, but her mind was racing to formulate a response.

Rose beat her to the chase. "Crowley wants a family, and I intended to let him have it. I hope you can do the same."

"Of course I can! I'm his mother!" Rowena instinctively barked back.

"I get that." Rose huffed. "Look, what I'm trying to say is that we both care about Crowley, right? So can we just start with getting along for his sake?"

"I can if you can." Rowena spoke slowly after a few seconds of silence.

Rose nodded in response. That had….gone much smoother than she anticipated.

Rowena was swift to recover, and quickly made Rose regret her word choice. "So, you intended to give Fergus a family? Does that mean there are grandchildren in my future?"

"What?! No! God no!" Rose practically shouted back without really thinking. She had never pictured Crowley as one for kids, and had no real desire to have little demon kids running around in a world full of monsters. No, kids weren't really in a hunter's future. Though now she supposed circumstances were different.

"I just mean-" Rose fumbled for an explanation. "It's just not exactly the safest thing. There's a lot of things that go bump in the night that I wouldn't want a child being exposed to. Not to mention that our child would be an antichrist with insane power until they learned to use it."

"Antichrist? Wouldn't it just be a demon - having been made by two demons, after all?" Rowena asked with a raised brow, her attention suddenly caught.

"Uh - yeah. Yeah it would. Right…" Rose trailed off, then shook her head to return to clarity of mind. "But also, we haven't really talked about it."

"Well I would like some grandchildren before I'm old and gray." Rowena quipped, then returned her attention to her cross stitch.

"Right…" Rose mumbled again. Seeing the awkward conversation was over, Rose fled the room before the old witch could throw something else at her. She wanted to quit while she was ahead - and right now 'ahead' meant not killing the bit-witch,

The moment Rose left the room, Rowena smirked to herself. Rose had inadvertently given more information than was good for her. Rowena already knew the Queen was acting strange, but now her suspicions were as good as confirmed.

Rowena had heard dozens of stories about the ruthless demon queen. She was even able to sneak a peek at several of the documents Crowley had collected about Rose's work. So to see the woman acting so kind, nervous, caring, and frankly less destructive, Rowena knew something wasn't right with the brunette.

Now, Rowena was no fool. She was able to put the pieces together. She also knew exactly how antichrist children came to be. Rose's slip about not wanting a child in a monster's world and about birthing an antichrist instead of a demon child….

Now the ancient witch knew exactly what was going on with Rose. She also knew that virtually anything could kill the Queen now. After all, humans are so fragile.

* * *

**I haven't heard any feedback yet, so I'm just gonna assume y'all are happy with the story so far! I know my writing style isn't perfect, so if you have suggestions or criticisms, don't be afraid to let me know! I love hearing from readers!**

**Just as a warning, Saturday's chapter might be delayed a while. This weekend is Relay for Life weekend, and as a team captain, I'm gonna be crazy busy starting tomorrow. Then my best friend is playing at the Kennedy Center practically right after and I'll end up sleeping all day Monday. Also, I'm a little behind on my writing, but I promise I'm gonna keep cranking out chapters!**

**As always, my box is open for anything about anything - even if you just need someone to talk to or you want someone to bounce ideas off of! I do not own Supernatural, but I do own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom.**


	36. Chapter 36

_Now, Rowena was no fool. She was able to put the pieces together. She also knew exactly how antichrist children came to be. Rose's slip about not wanting a child in a monster's world and about birthing an antichrist instead of a demon child…._

_Now the ancient witch knew exactly what was going on with Rose. She also knew that virtually anything could kill the Queen now. After all, humans are so fragile._

* * *

**CHAPTER FIFTY SIX**

**In which the Winchesters have a lazy day**

(Written to: Lifting the Veil by Jessica Curry from Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs)

Listenonrepeat: /?v=Pkn9JyjdKLE#Amnesia%3A_A_Machine_For_Pigs_OST_-_Lifting_the_Veil

* * *

"Hey, Cas. About that soul….could you guys take him now? He's ready to head up."

It had been almost four Hell days since the Winchester family reunited, and now the tearful farewell was upon them. Once John was in Heaven, they would have to die themselves in order to see them. Or in Rose's case, she might never see him again. Crowley intended to keep her alive just as long as he would be, and frankly she didn't think she was going to Heaven after becoming the Queen of Hell.

"Thanks, Cas. Crowley will meet you there." Rose hung up and headed back to the other Winchesters.

"You're all set, Dad. Crowley will take you to the surface where you'll meet up with Castiel. They'll ferry you to the doorway to Heaven, then the angels will get you the rest of the way." The hunter-turned-witch explained.

"Why can't Cas just take him? He's plenty capable, you know." Dean retorted.

"Dean, this is getting old. Crowley isn't _that_ awful, and he may be kinda ruthless, but he's not heartless. And he certainly never goes back on his word."

"What does his word have to do with this?"

"He told me that Dad's fate rests with me, so what I say goes. You also seem to forget that I have equal say in what happens with Hell. He just happens to actually be a demon." Rose huffed.

"I'm sure it'll be just fine, Rosie." John spoke up. He was beginning to see just what the Mark of Cain was capable of, so he knew that Dean's words weren't entirely his.

"You ready to go?" Rose turned to her father, who gave a solemn nod.

"I'm gonna miss you, Dad." Rose bit down on her lip. She felt the telltale sting of salty tears grace her eyes before she clamped them shut.

"Maybe we'll get to come visit you upstairs someday." Dean offered, more as joke, but in their line of work, it was entirely possible.

"You three take care of each other, you hear me?" John replied to Dean's comment. He knew his children had died several times over already, but he didn't enjoy the thought of adding another death to that list on account of visiting dead relatives.

"Yes, sir." All three Winchester siblings replied, almost in perfect unison. If storytime hadn't sent them down memory lane, that certainly did. It had been what felt like ages since they had done that.

John gave another curt nod just as Crowley came sauntering in.

"Everyone said their goodbyes?" He asked earnestly, though his voice still had a joking lilt to it.

No one really answered, but they each nodded in turn. John stepped forward to the King of Hell, then turned back to his children.

With a bittersweet smile, John gave one last parting statement. "See you on the other side."

Crowley stretched out an arm, placed it on the soul's shoulder -

Then they were gone. Crowley and John were nowhere to be seen, and the Winchester siblings were several yards away from the Bunker.

Rose closed her eyes again, feeling the stinging build up behind the dams. Dean and Sam unintentionally mirrored their sister's behaviors. The Winchesters weren't ones for emotional displays or tears, but losing their father a second time….at least there was closure and they knew he would get to rest in peace.

"Wanna get a drink? I know a pretty nice bar in town." Dean offered uncharacteristically softly.

"Yeah." Sam agreed.

"Drinks would be good." Rose added.

* * *

Rose woke up the next morning draped across the Bunker's warroom table with a raging headache. Her stomach did a flip as she attempted to sit up. She covered her eyes with the crook of her left arm and was grateful for the eerie silence.

The Winchester girl fought the urge to groan as she shoved herself off the table, knowing the guttural noise would only bring more pain than it relieved. The first thing that came to her mind was the need for a hangover cure, so she moved as quickly as she could to the kitchen.

Rose highly doubted that her brothers kept food well enough stocked that they might have something ridiculously greasy or even an ash tray to put it in. She never liked their hangover cure anyway.

Being the self-proclaimed genius that she was, Rose had another idea. She was a witch, so why not use magic to cure her of her hangover? Well, she didn't really know any spells for hangover cures, but she knew the magickal properties of dozens of herbs. Surely she could whip something up.

Fighting back the innate urge to mutter her thought process aloud, Rose shuffled about grabbing vanilla, barley, chamomile, cinnamon, rosemary, and the jug of orange juice in the fridge. She dumped everything into the blender unceremoniously, added half the tray of ice cubes, then mixed it all up.

The first sip almost made Rose gag. She downed her portion of the drink and slammed the glass down on the table, her face contorting in odd expressions as she recovered. But already, her hangover was shrinking. Her head stopped pounding, her stomach was settling, and the world was returning to its normal light and volume. It wasn't completely gone, but it was exponentially better.

Not long after, Sam came stumbling into the kitchen, groping around blindly in the dark.

"Here," Rose called out, already pouring another glass of the strange concoction. "Have some of this. Works a million times better than your nasty grease cure."

Rose placed the glass in her twin's hand. Sam sniffed it first, shrugged, then downed it all in one big gulp.

Sam slammed the glass down in the same manner as his sister and even had the same facial expressions as his body processed the less than pleasant flavor.

"Whoa." Sam suddenly had his eyes open wide to see in the dark. "How did you do that?"

"Honestly, that was research. The only magic that went into it was the herbs - and the oranges from the juice. Every herb has a magickal property, whether it's used by a witch or not." Rose explained, pouring another glass for Dean. "But I think the natural magic helped."

Sam raised his brows and half-pursed his lips, clearly impressed. Maybe his sister being a witch wasn't so horrible after all. She had a pretty handy spell to help Dean handle the Mark of Cain, and she knew how to make a surprisingly effective hangover cure. Though he still wasn't used to everything that had happened. He just took each blow as it came.

"I'm gonna get this to Dean before he goes out for greasy shit." Rose announced, hurrying from the kitchen to her big brother's room.

* * *

As the day droned on, Rose grew antsy. The three Winchesters had been lounging around the Bunker all day doing virtually nothing. Even though she had been reading spellbooks all day and reorganizing the materials stashed in the storeroom, she was still bored. Really she was only killing time until Crowley came back.

But by dinner, Rose had had enough. She groaned as she flopped into the chair beside her twin brother.

"You alright?" He asked, glancing up from his laptop.

"I'm boooooored." Rose rolled her head around.

"Well you don't have to stay." Dean called as he walked into the room.

"Do you not want me around or something?" Rose shot back with a brow raised.

Dean opened his mouth to retort, but Sam interjected with: "Why don't we go out for dinner then?"

Rose shifted her gaze to her brother and smiled. "Yes please!"

Then she jumped up from her seat with renewed energy. When neither brother moved, Rose began to wave her arms, motioning for them to come with her. "Come on, lazy asses! Let's go! I'm hungry!"

Dean rolled his eyes, but gave a smile nevertheless. It was nice to see Rose happy again. After all the crap that had happened to her since she left Chicago, Dean felt that Rose's smile was becoming a rare sight. He still felt on edge - what he understood to be a side effect of the Mark of Cain - but he could put it aside for his brother and his sister.

But how long could he manage?

* * *

"So why did you stay? I thought you were worried about Gavin." Sam asked. Dean had excused himself from the table to utilize the restrooms, and Sam was seizing the opportunity to ask Rose what was on his mind.

"Honestly, I'm worried about Dean. The Mark of Cain is...brutal. I'm impressed how well he's handling it, but I'm afraid it's gonna be like - like emotions and shit." Rose tried explaining softly. When Sam raised a brow, Rose tried again. "When you bottle stuff up for too long, it all comes pouring out at once. So when you're upset over something and you suppress it, it all comes out a million times worse than it went in. Does that make any sense?"

"So you're saying-" Sam swallowed hard. He was already worried about Dean, but Rose's words were making it worse. She had dealt with the Mark once before. Anything she said about it was something Sam would take to heart. "That Dean trying to cope with the Mark is only going to make it worse?"

Rose sighed and leaned an elbow on the table. "I really don't know. When I had it, I was a demon so there was no reason for me to suppress it."

Neither of them spoke for a moment. As Sam's expression quickly melted into masked panic, Rose reached across the table to rest a hand on his.

"Sam, we're gonna do whatever it takes to get that Mark off of him. I don't care if I have to sell my soul - that thing is getting off him." Rose spoke with such ferocious gravity that Sam almost flinched.

Sam internally debated his next words. Rose just said she would do anything - the two of them would be a team in working to get the Mark of Cain off their big brother, no matter how much Dean insists he could handle it.

"I might have found a lead." Sam announced quietly.

"What?" Rose snapped up to look at him. "What is it?"

"It's a - I think a grimoire maybe or a lore book. It's a crazy old book called the Book of the Damned. I read a rumor about it somewhere online and I haven't had time to look into it yet, but - it might just be a dead end, but if can help Dean…."

Just as Rose started to ask for more information, she noticed Dean walking back to the table, so instead she muttered: "I'll look into it."

Dean slid back into the booth with ease, sitting beside his baby brother. Unfortunately, Sam and Rose weren't phenomenal actors, so Dean noticed the way their posture shifted, the way they readjusted in their seats, and the way their eyes flickered around somewhat avoiding him.

"What were you two talking about?" Dean asked.

To keep him from blurting something at the same time as her, Rose kicked Sam underneath the table, then answered. "Dad. I was actually thinking of giving Crowley a call - seeing how they're doing. I didn't think it would take them this long."

Dean pressed his lips together and nodded. Rose excused herself, then slid out of the booth, following the same path Dean took to the back. She quickly located the ladies' room and locked the door behind her.

The restroom was a small, one-person restroom with a dinky light that flickered every other minute. Rose didn't actually need to use the restroom, but it was the first place she thought to flee to for some air.

She had this nagging feeling in her gut that something bad was going to happen. She supposed this was the touch of clairvoyance it was rumored that witches possessed. Real clairvoyance belonged to the psychics (some of which were witches), but it was always thought that witches had it to an extent.

Though none of that helped Rose. In fact, it made it all that much worse, and the feeling was growing by the minute. Gavin was on the other side of the world, Crowley was who knows where, Rowena was all alone in Hell, and Rose couldn't go to check in on all of them. Gavin maybe, but then her brothers would be all alone. Who was in danger? What was going to happen?

Rose braced herself against the sink, a hand on either side of it, and let her head hang so her chin touched her sternum.

Maybe she should call them? Yes, she would do that. Rose would call Gavin and then Crowley. She couldn't care less about Rowena, but she was worried about the chaos the witch might be causing.

Rose swiftly retrieved her phone and dialed Gavin.

"Gavin, hey. It's Rose. Is everything alright over there?" She cleared her throat after asking. Her voice hadn't been as strong as she hoped it would be. In fact, it sounded groggy and tired.

"Of course. Are you alright?" Gavin replied.

"Yeah - yeah, I'm fine. Just checking in. I'm spending some time with my brothers is all."

"Well don't let me keep you from that. Everythin's fine here - been pretty borin' actually."

"I'll come home soon and you won't be bored then." Rose tried to summon a laugh, but it left her mouth as more of a cross between a huff and a sigh.

"See you soon then, Rose."

Next she dialed Crowley. It rang, and rang, and rang. Rose bounced her leg and gnawed on her lip. _Come on, Crowley_.

But there was no answer.

So Rose hung up and sent him a text instead.

_Just calling to check in and make sure everything is going alright._

Rose rolled her head around, stretching her neck and taking deep breaths. She ran some cold water over her face - she never wore makeup so she had nothing to worry about - then toweled it off. She took one last deep breath and checked herself in the mirror, then left.

Just as she left the restroom, she noticed a man leaning against the wall opposite the men's room. It was a rare sight to see a line for the men's room, but she supposed it was possible.

But as she walked past him, she felt her stomach flip. She chanced a glance at him out of the corner of her eye. She tried to speed her pace, but he caught her arm.

Rose spun, her eyes wide with both surprise and rage. She was in no mood to deal with advances from a loony drunk guy.

However, the man didn't waste any words. Instead, he yanked the Winchester close to him and slapped a hand over her mouth.

The moment she felt that familiar internal tug and the restaurant shifted into some godforsaken forest in god knows where, Rose realized this man wasn't any old loony drunk guy - he was a demon.

Rose stomped on his foot and bit his hand. His grip loosened, giving Rose just enough time to run. She darted through the trees, racking her brain for a helpful spell. The fallen leaves and twigs crunched and snapped beneath her feet, leaving behind an audible trail.

The demon recovered quickly and sprinted after her. Being the creature he was, his endurance was much more than Rose's, and he didn't slow down even when she began to.

Rose didn't have a hex bag and she didn't have any ingredients with her. She hadn't even thought to put salt packets in her pockets before leaving the Bunker. Hell, she didn't even bring a weapon with her. She internally groaned. She really _was_ rusty.

She needed to think of something and fast.

The demon gained on her, reaching out to grab her arm again. Rose took a sharp turn to the left, and as his arm continued to follow her, it snagged on a tree, eliciting a yelp of pain.

Without a devil's trap, salt, holy water, or a useful weapon, Rose was screwed. Maybe she could try an exorcism? No, she would never manage to finish it, and she hadn't put a recording of it on her phone like Dean told her to do.

Suddenly, she collided with the demon. He had zapped himself in front of her. The demon grabbed her before she could regain her wits.

Rose struggled, jabbing, punching, and kicking. Though it caused him pain, it only made him grip tighter and pissed him off. The more she retaliated, the more he hit her. For each kick, punch, and jab, Rose received a damn near equal pain.

"Let go of me." Rose growled. "Don't forget: I'm your fucking queen."

"My loyalties lay with the King." The demon replied, biting back a grunt of pain as she kneed him a second time. "Besides, rumor has it you aren't really the Queen anymore."

"What the fuck do you want?"

The demon gave a sadistic smile before saying: "I'm just following orders."

The next thing Rose knew, she was on the ground with blood pouring from her abdomen. She pressed a hand to the wounds and counted at least four - more than she could compress on her own. She felt weak and lightheaded. The demon was long gone by the time Rose really began to register anything.

Being a witch gave her some protection from death, right? So either she was gonna be just fine, or that was one hell of a juiced up blade. Rose was leaning towards option number two. Her only hope would be for someone to find her, but she was in the middle of the woods with no one around for miles.

While doing her best to remain still and stop the bleeding, Rose fumbled for her phone -

But it wasn't there. She turned her head to the side and there it was. The demon had smashed it.

Rose looked back up at the sky. She was going to die here and no one would ever know. She had no way of reaching anyone. If only Crowley could hear prayers…..

Prayers. Angels could hear them. Castiel couldn't fly himself, but that doesn't mean he couldn't convey information to someone who could.

"Cas.." Rose muttered through a mouthful of blood. "Castiel...I kinda need some-" she coughed "help. I don't know where I am, but I'm dying. If you could send someone, that'd be real great."

Rose coughed for several seconds before regaining control of her muscles again. She rolled her head to the side to spit out the blood threatening to choke her. Her vision was growing blurry and her senses were dulling. She wasn't sure she would make it long enough for whatever help he sent.

No one was there yet. Rose was going to die.

_No,_ Rose thought to herself. _I am not going to die today_.

"Castiel, please. I'm bleeding out in the woods. I'm not gonna make it much longer…." Rose trailed off into another cough. Warm blood was still oozing in her throat and her mouth. She was certain that if she didn't bleed out first, she was going to drowned in her own blood.

"Please…" Rose mumbled before her eyes fluttered shut for the last time. Her body went eerily still and her mind stopped registering the world around her. The feelings of cold and pain and numbness faded into nothing.

Her mind retreated within itself, still silently praying for help. A few more minutes, and she would be gone forever.

* * *

**Sorry to break the intense mood with an author's note, but there are some important things I would like to share.**

**First off, to the lovely Guest that reviewed last week: You are bloody brilliant! That is a wonderful idea that I hadn't even thought of! Also a huge thank you to PondGirl11 and rmueller89 for the encouraging words! I can't even begin to explain how a few words like that inspire me to write even more!**

**Second, I should probably warn you that it wasn't originally in the cards for Rose and Crowley to have a child. HOWEVER, I can easily change that if y'all want them to have a child. Please let me know! If I don't hear anything, there will be no child.**

**Third, we are now caught up to things I have prewritten, so for the sake of the quality of the story, I will not be posting on the schedule of every other day. I will still have regular-ish updates, it just won't be quite as frequent. If you feel like I've gone too long without a new chapter, please do not hesitate to spam me with messages!**

**Fourth...this is more of a PSA for all readers anywhere. In past (and current) experience, a lot of stories don't get reviews even when they are asked for. That is due to a phenomenon called the Bystander Effect. In Layman's terms, that means that if no one else is doing anything, then why should you? Ever heard of Kitty Genovese? She was raped and murdered in the courtyard of her apartment complex. 38 people looked out their windows to see what the screaming was, and only 1 person called the police. The other 37 people all noticed others looking out their windows and assumed that the other people were calling the cops so they didn't - in addition thinking that if the other people didn't do anything, then they wouldn't either.**

**My point is that when you read a story, don't assume that other people will say what you want to say. If there's something you want to tell the author, don't be afraid to - even if it's just a few words. So for every story that you read, leave a little review and answer their questions. If everyone assumes that someone else will do it, no one will and the author will never know. (This also applies to every situation in real life. If you think something should be done, do it - don't leave it for other people.)**

**My apologies for the super long note. That's what happens when I go almost a whole week without posting...**

**As always, my box is open for anything about anything! I do not own Supernatural, but I do own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom.**


	37. Chapter 37

_"Please…" Rose mumbled before her eyes fluttered shut for the last time. Her body went eerily still and her mind stopped registering the world around her. The feelings of cold and pain and numbness faded into nothing._

_Her mind retreated within itself, still silently praying for help. A few more minutes, and she would be gone forever._

* * *

**CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN**

**In which**

(Written to: RainyMood)

* * *

Rose lurched into a sitting position, sucking in air like she would never get any again. Her panicked, swallow breaths sounded more like wheezes and her eyes were wide as she tried to process her new environment.

It wasn't the woods and it wasn't the restaurant. It was white, but it wasn't a hospital. It was lighter than the Bunker, and much cozier than Hell.

"Rose, love, breathe." Crowley's voice washed over her like an ocean wave over the sand, instantly filling her with a sense of security. She felt his strong hands on her arms and the bed she was resting on dip with his weight as he sat beside her.

Rose looked to him, working on slowing and evening her breaths. As she calmed herself, Crowley looked her over, then asked: "What happened?"

Rose blinked. She couldn't remember. Her gaze trailed downwards as she retraced her path. She had been at the Bunker...Crowley had been gone….she remembered being bored and going out to dinner with her brothers….she remembered being worried about her extended family, then-

"What happened?" Crowley repeated, marginally louder, and shook her a little.

Rose swallowed hard, her trance not yet broken. She remembered talking to Sam about the Mark of Cain...she remembered going to the bathroom...she remembered calling-

"What happened?!" Crowley practically roared.

Returning to her normal self, Rose snapped up to glare at her husband and shouted in return: "Give me a minute!"

Nostrils flaring, Rose closed her eyes. She let her head roll back as she remembered the man that took her, then stabbed her, and left her to die.

"It was - a demon tried to kill me." Rose at last answered.

"A demon?" Crowley's voice shook with rage.

Rose nodded. "He - he found me at the restaurant with Sam and Dean..then he took me to the woods somewhere and - and stabbed me. I tried to fight him off, but I left my weapons at the Bunker-"

"What about spells?" Crowley pressed.

"What about them?"

"Didn't you use any? He shouldn't have been able to kill you so easily!"

"I'm a hunter, Crowley!" Rose shouted. "I have been for my whole life! I'm still new to this witch shit! I panicked and I resorted to what I know best!"

"You could have been killed!"

"But I wasn't!"

"Only because I happened to standing next to that pigeon you called for help!"

Rose winced and a hand flew to her wounds. They were still there and still stung, but they were patched and healed for the most part.

Crowley took a deep breath of his own, trying to push away his anger. He hadn't meant to lash out at Rose. His anger at the situation wasn't something he wanted to take out on her.

"Sorry about that." He muttered. "There was only so much the angel and I could do. Whatever you were stabbed with was one hell of a blade."

Rose nodded absentmindedly. "How did you guys end up finding me?"

Crowley took her left hand in his own. He rubbed her engagement/wedding ring with his thumb. When he opened his mouth to answer, Rose did it for him.

"There's a tracking spell on the ring, isn't there?" Rose asked, tired, but somewhat amused.

"You know me so well." Crowley replied. Rose rolled her eyes, then laid back down. She now knew that she was in her bed at the cottage, and she felt safe and comfortable.

"How long have I been out?" Rose asked quietly, her energy fading already.

"31 and a half hours." Crowley ran a hand through her hair and along her face. Rose nodded into the pillow, letting her eyes flutter shut.

"Did you get Dad to Heaven?" She asked softly.

"It took much longer than I expected. You called just as the winged rats finally decided to take him." Crowley huffed.

"They wouldn't take him?" The hunter-turned-witch's face scrunched.

"You know what the Winchester reputation is like. They also took some time to gripe about extra work." Rose only nodded into the pillow again. Her father was safe and finally at peace - in Heaven where he belonged.

"Crowley?"

"Yes, love?"

"That chat you wanted to have….did it have anything to do with me not being queen anymore?" Rose coughed for a moment.

Rose couldn't see his face, but Crowley's brows instantly furrowed and he frowned somewhat. His head reeled back in shock, and he tightened his grip on his wife's hand.

"Now where on Earth did you get an idea like that?" Crowley bit back the anger swelling in his throat again.

"The demon - he said something about a rumor that I wasn't queen anymore." Rose replied quietly. She was drifting back into the embrace of sleep.

Now his curiosity was piqued. "What else did he say?"

Rose swallowed hard - not out of fear or worry, but because she was swallowing down the urge to cough again. She thought in silence for a moment, trying her best to remember. She was silent for several more seconds than Crowley was willing to wait. Assuming she was falling asleep, he gently shook her.

Rose cleared her throat. "He said that - that his loyalties lay with the King and that he was following orders."

While Crowley ground his jaw and kept a vice grip on her hand, Rose peeled her eyes open and propped herself up on her elbows.

"Crowley?" He looked up to meet Rose's eyes. "Tell me it wasn't you."

"Well of course it wasn't me! Don't be daft!" Crowley shot back instantly. Then his voice raised and his face began to turn red. "Why the hell would I send a demon to kill you?! If I wanted you dead - which I don't - I would just do it myself!"

Rose threw herself back onto the pillow. "I'm not saying I think it was you. I don't. But after what he said, you can't really blame me for making sure."

Crowley huffed. She was right. Again. If he were in her place, he would have done exactly the same thing. Well, he might not have been so straightforward about it.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Rose asked softly, her eyes closed again.

"It can wait, love." Crowley replied. He loosened his grip on her hand, intending to go. Rose brought her other hand across her body to hold onto his retreating extremity.

"I'm pretty sure I'm on house arrest, so I'll have plenty of time to rest. You, however, have work to do, so you won't be around the whole time. May as well just tell me now." Rose spoke with an even tone.

"If you insist." Crowley sighed and readjusted himself into a more comfortable position. "It's about your time as a demon."

"What about it?" Rose peeled open an eye to watch her husband.

"You nearly destroyed Hell." Crowley both reprimanded and chuckled. The extent to which that statement was true was far from amusing, but somehow the statement was amusing to hear falling out of his own mouth.

"Straight to the point then, alright." Rose mumbled. "I mean I know I was reckless and killed a lot of dickbags, but I didn't think I was _that_ bad."

"It wasn't just physical destruction. You almost caused the downfall of Hell." The demon elaborated, his voice reaching the higher pitches he only hit when he was distressed.

Rose propped herself up again, pushing to sit all the up. "How the fuck did I do that?!"

"To begin with there was the demon-slaughtering. You killed at least a third of the demons in Hell. Then you hijacked crossroads and killed the clients instead of making deals. Half of the deals you went to collect on ended up killing every person even remotely related to the terms of the deal!"

"What do you mean?" Rose interjected.

"For example, there was a man who made a deal to bring his dead family back to life. Not only did you kill him to collect his soul, you killed his family too!"

Rose cringed. She had repressed most of her time as a demon, but Crowley's words were jarring those memories open. All the moments of bloodlust and sadistic joy flooded her mind, racing past her mind's eye like a film strip.

"Then there was-"

"Stop." Rose barked, her eyes squeezed shut. It was then that Crowley noticed her demeanor. She was hunched, her arms folded over her. Her eyes were shut so tightly that her eyelids were beginning to turn white. But above all, he noticed the pins and needles beginning in his hand.

"Flower, are you alright?" He placed his free hand on her cheek. She instantly reeled away from it, as if frightened.

"I'm sorry. I - I didn't - it wasn't me…" Rose mumbled. Had she been any quieter, Crowley wouldn't have caught a word she said.

"I know." He replied just as softly.

Rose took a great sniff, then a great breath, and loosened her death grip on his hand. "So what was the point of telling me all that?"

"Hmm?" Crowley raised his brows.

"You wouldn't have told me all that just to send me on a guilt trip. So what is it?" Rose asked again.

"I think -" Crowley knew he was probably about to get smacked, but this was something he had to do. "I think until everything is back to status quo-"

"You want me to keep out of Hell business." Rose finished for him, less eloquently than he had been going for.

"Not entirely. But I do need to know what's going on, so everythi-"

"Everything has to be approved by you."

"Would you let me finish?" Crowley retorted. Rose watched him with raised brows, impatiently awaiting his next words. "I've been at this a bit longer than you. I only need to make sure that everything is running smoothly."

"In case you've forgotten, you wouldn't be running Hell as well as you do without me. Your first month as King nearly got you killed. Without me, not only would you be a shit king, you would be dead." Rose scoffed. "When you get stuck, you come to me for help. I know more about running Hell than you would like to believe. I was a fucking _demon_ when I did all that shit. Now I'm human again, and I know what I'm doing."

"I know, but -"

"No buts! There is no 'but' there! Either you recognize that I know how to run Hell or you don't. You made me Queen for a reason, and I'm pretty sure that reason wasn't for me to be some shitty piece of arm candy to show off and fuck when you get bored!" Rose shouted, her eyes wide and nostrils flaring.

Crowley watched her rage with an odd mixture of worry, guilt, and love. _That_ was the Rose he fell in love with. The Rose that wasn't afraid to put him in his place when he was wrong. The Rose that was headstrong, stubborn, and clever.

She did know how to run Hell. She wasn't the same person that had nearly destroyed it. She was right - he wouldn't be King without her. It was Rose that had provided him with the new layout for Hell. It was Rose that had taught him how Hell could be run with diplomacy. It was Rose that had given him dozens of new ways to bring in more souls than ever. It was Rose that had given him ways to advertise crossroad deals. And most importantly, it was Rose that patched him up whenever he got in a scuffle.

Upon his revelation, Crowley looked away in equal parts guilt and acceptance. "You're right. I don't know what I was thinking."

Rose sighed, expelling her rage. She didn't like her rage anymore - it brought back unpleasant feelings and flashes of memories. But now thanks to Crowley's 'chat,' she couldn't get the flashes to go away.

Rose tucked her legs in to spin them past Crowley and over the edge of the bed. Throwing the lush blankets aside, Rose shoved herself off from the bed.

"Rose, lay back down." Crowley spoke with such exhaustion that one might think he had run two marathons and been awake for 8 days.

"I'm fine." Rose brushed off his supportive hand and staggered to the door. She took a moment to rest along the doorframe before pulling the wooden door open, and Crowley seized that moment to jump to his feet and attempt to usher his wife back to bed.

"Flower, you're not healed enough to be on your feet. Whatever it is you need, I'll get it for you." He tried again, placing a hand on either side of her hips. Rose brushed him off again.

"Crowley, I'm fine. I've dealt with shit like this for my whole life. I don't need to be babied." Rose growled then pulled the door open. When she left the bedroom, she made a point of slamming the door behind her.

While Rose stomped off no doubt to find Gavin and probably call her brothers, Crowley returned to the bed and fell upon it, allowing his weight to sink into the mattress. He sighed and let his eyes droop shut. He was exhausted in every possible extent of the word. Being a demon, he didn't wear down as easily as humans, but it still happened more than he cared to admit - especially after all that cure nonsense.

Why had he even allowed Rocky and Bullwinkle to attempt curing him? It certainly wasn't for them - not for their forgiveness - and it certainly wasn't for the sake of the world. No, even with all the new and confusing emotions swirling through his mind, he was still selfish. It was a particularly defining trait of his. Though all the human blood and feelings left his mind focused on one thing and one thing alone: Rose.

When he screamed about how he wanted to be loved - how he deserved to be loved - he thought of Rose. When he asked Moose about where to begin to earn forgiveness, he thought of Rose. He had done so many horrible things in his life, both as a human and a demon. He had never put much thought into it before that day, but in that moment, he was consumed with worry that Rose would never love him - that Rose would never forgive him.

Now he had learned that that wasn't the case. Rose was still an ethical human being, but she had such a characteristic way of loving him despite all of his cruelty. She didn't look past it, she embraced it. He might even go so far as to say she loved that about him.

As Crowley let all those memories and thoughts overwhelm him for what seemed to be the millionth time, he realized that he had screwed up. It wasn't the lying that Rose detested. In truth, it was being treated like she was incompetent. He had let Rowena get inside his head and now he would be lucky if Rose were to forgive him anytime soon.

He would deal with Rowena soon enough. For now, he had bigger problems to worry about. His queen was not being treated as such, and her life was in danger. Not only that, but he was beginning to worry that his own life was in danger because it was essentially his fault Sam and Dean's sister had almost died.

He sighed again. There was too much to worry about, but he would have to start somewhere. And somehow he would have to earn Rose's forgiveness again.

* * *

**Hello lovelies! I hope you all are doing well!**

**First off, a HUGE thank you to the wonderful Fallenlily366 and Kagalei for the feedback! Every notification makes me smile and want to write more! Also, I don't remember if I thanked the lovely Savily or not yet. If I did, thanks again! If I didn't, thank you so so much!**

**Second, that story I mentioned a million times earlier? The Dean/OC one that I've been planning for months? I finally posted the first little bit! It is called 'The Angel Of Music' in case you're interested.**

**Third and most importantly: the option for Rose and Crowley to have a child only has one vote so far! One against, and zero in favor of them having a child. Don't worry, there is still time. IF I were to do anything involving a child, it would most likely not happen during the events of Season 10. However, I would love to hear from all y'all about it!**

**Last but not least, you all should go check out the lovely  3's stories! She is a wonderful writer with amazing ideas and not enough love! She's currently writing a pretty great Supernatural fic called 'Spitting Fire' that you should go read (but you might want to read part one: 'Small World'). Please leave some encouraging words for her and follow/favorite! I want her to know just how great a writer she is!**

**As always, my box is open for anything! I do not own Supernatural, but I do own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom.**


	38. Chapter 38

_He would deal with Rowena soon enough. For now, he had bigger problems to worry about. His queen was not being treated as such, and her life was in danger. Not only that, but he was beginning to worry that his own life was in danger because it was essentially his fault Sam and Dean's sister had almost died._

_He sighed again. There was too much to worry about, but he would have to start somewhere. And somehow he would have to earn Rose's forgiveness again._

* * *

**CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT**

**In which Rose is getting worse**

Written to: The Last Agni Kai from Avatar: The Last Airbender

Listenonrepeat: /?v=yFnnNijn_OI#Last_Agni_Kai_%5BAvatar_Soundtrack%5D

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**WARNING: This chapter is more violent/graphic than usual. It involves death, anxiety as a result of PTSD, and (to an extent) abuse. If this is something that bothers you, wait for the next chapter. You won't miss anything.**

* * *

Dean's head tumbled to the ground. His body collapsed into the thick layer of blood that coated the floor. Rose's combat boots splashed through the gelatinous liquid. She took the blade in her hand and ran it across the fabric of her plaid button-up, wiping the sharp metal clean. Her throat vibrated as she hummed absentmindedly.

Sam came sprinting into the room. He was barely able to shout out his sister's name before she stabbed him through the midsection. The flickering light above twinkled on Rose's broad, toothy, malicious smile. Sam Winchester's rigid body slid off the blade and hit the ground with a thud and a splash. He clutched at the wound while struggling to look up at his sister.

But Rose paid him no mind. She left his body behind to rot along with the other members of the growing Winchester family.

Crowley entered the room just as Rose reached the door. With her free hand, Rose reached up and ran the back of her fingers against the stubble along his jawline. She pulled him close to her and let her lips hover over his before kissing him.

She kissed him softly - passionately. Her hand gripped the back of his neck. She felt his panicked grimace melt into a calm smile against her tender skin. She could taste the Craig and sulfur on his lips. She could feel his stubble scratching against her worn skin. Crowley reached an arm around her waist. His other hand entangled itself in her short, brown hair. He let his body meld against her fit form, the fabric of his thousand dollar suit pressing against the bloody layers she wore.

Then his entire body tensed.

Rose pulled away with a smile and a horrifying glint in her eyes. She yanked the blade from his abdomen. Still, Crowley did not fall.

Rose struck again - and again, and again, and again. Another time in his stomach, twice in his heart, then thrice in his throat - the last of which sprayed so much blood it vaguely resembled Angel Falls and coated Rose's entire face with the metallic, red liquid.

When Crowley at last fell, clutching his throat and reaching out for his wife, Rose didn't so much as bat an eye. She cleaned her blade once more, then neatly stepped over his corpse.

The blood beneath her feet squished with every step. She stopped just beyond the doorway to turn and admire her work. Rose's malevolent, deep laughter started in her throat. The more she took in the sight, the more she smiled. The more she smiled, the more she laughed. Her laugh grew from a faint sound easily mistaken for huffing to what one might describe as the Disney villain's triumphant moment of sick joy.

Her head was practically thrown back and her body shook with demonic laughter. She laughed, and smiled, and laughed -

And she screamed.

Rose threw herself from the bed, nearly tripping over every blanket on the way. When her instinctive scream of terror ran out of air and she regained her bearings, Rose was hyperventilating. Cold sweat dripped down every inch of her body. To say she had a bad case of bedhead was an understatement.

"It's okay - just a dream. Just a dream. I'm okay. Everything's okay." Rose muttered each statement over and over again. The first thing she did when she regained control of her actions was to grab her right forearm and inspect it.

There was nothing. As always. The Mark of Cain was still gone, and there wasn't even a trace of it left. At least, there was no physical trace.

"Rose? Are you alright?" Gavin rapped lightly on the door.

Rose jumped, falling back onto the bed with a frightened grunt. She took a deep breath, attempted to run a hand through her knotted hair, then answered in a broken voice: "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bad dream. I'll be down in a minute."

Behind the door, Gavin nodded more to himself, then padded away. Unfortunately, this had become a regular thing. He knew there was something wrong with Rose, but she had no intention of talking about it.

It had been two, agonizingly long weeks since Crowley left. Rose hadn't heard so much as one word from Crowley and she was getting worse. Her nightmares grew more terrifying with each night and each day brought the horrible reminder that her life felt like it was crumbling. On top of that, she was under house arrest - though not entirely by her family's force. She physically could not go anywhere. While she was recovering from her near death experience, Rose found it annoyingly difficult to perform any spells let alone use conveyance. She would gladly go explore the local area surrounding the cottage, but Crowley had purchased so much land that it would be at least a day's walk to simply get off the property.

Gavin, on the other hand, was having a grand old time. Though Rose was a bit incapacitated for the time being, she was still insistent on training him. She couldn't spar with him, but she could teach him how to shoot and grill him on the trivia. There was no way he would actually be hunting, but Gavin wanted to be prepared and capable. No longer would he feel worthless and dumb - he had a new life now.

Frankly, the target practice was therapeutic for Rose. Normally, she would've thrown some things, broken some things, and maybe put a few holes in the wall, but after Gavin's last reaction to her anger, Rose refused to do that to him again. Putting some holes in paper targets was the next best thing she could manage at the moment.

Each night of those two weeks, Rose slept alone. Either Crowley was extremely busy, or they were actually having a fight. Rose couldn't decide which. Part of her was glad that she didn't have to deal with a confrontation while she was still feeling so weak, but another part was upset that he wasn't there with her.

Her nightmares were getting worse, and Rose could feel it dripping into reality. All she wanted to do was shoot someone, maybe slit a throat or two. She had first blamed it on her bottled rage, but now she was beginning to worry that it was so much worse than that.

* * *

"Sammy, I'm sorry. I don't really have any access to books right now. House arrest is pretty much killing me at this point."

"Don't worry about it, Rose. I can do plenty of research on my own. Just take it easy."

"I'm tired of taking it easy!" Rose snapped. "All I've done is take it easy, and I told you I would look into it!"

"Really, it's fine. I've got it." Sam sighed sympathetically. Rose could picture him running a hand over his hair. "Look, you almost died. You deserve some time off."

"I've had plenty of-"

"And you've got other stuff to worry about."

"Nothing is more important than getting rid of the Mark of Cain for good. It needs to go."

"And it will, but not if you run yourself ragged in the process." Sam countered patiently. He had a little too much experience dealing with Rose's emotions.

Rose sighed and bit down on her cheek. Her lips pursed together as she huffed again. "Fine. But the second you get a lead, I better be the first person you call."

"You will. Rest up, Rose." Then the call ended.

Rose huffed again, her tensed vocal chords emitted a barely audible growl as the air traveled through her throat. She gripped the phone as if she were strangling it. Her eyes squeezed shut and her hands shook. She was just so damn tired of feeling so useless. She was so damn sick of people keeping her just outside of the loop. She was so fucking done with being treated like she was incapable of doing things.

Two whole fucking weeks and the only person that treated her with any respect was Gavin. Two whole weeks and she hadn't even heard from her husband. Seven years and her brothers were still treating her like a little girl.

Rose hadn't meant to explode. In fact, she didn't even realize she had done anything until it was too late to stop. Her phone was shattered across the room, the lamp was smashed on the floor, the roses in the vase were mutilated, and every piece of furniture was flipped upside down. She only came to her senses when she noticed that she was no longer alone in the living room.

"Have I come at a bad time?" The King of Hell's cocky, snarky, pompous accent rang through the room like a gunshot to Rose's ears. Instantly, she spun on a dime and marched right up to him. Without a word, Rose punched him and sent him stumbling backwards. She removed the gun she carried from the back of the waist of her jeans, aimed directly at him, then shot him twice before pausing. One bullet landed in his left shoulder, the other his right knee.

"What the bloody hell was that for?!" Crowley roared as he stumbled again.

"You insult me, try to dethrone me, leave without so much as a note, then leave me in the dark for _two weeks_ and you don't expect me to shoot you?!" Rose shouted right back. Her gun still ready and aimed, she slowly approached Crowley. Her eyes were wide and her nose flaring. 14 days worth of boiling rage was finally exploding. It was like Pompeii going off at the same time a massive asteroid decided to wipe out all living things.

"It's not like you were in any mood to talk with me!" He tried to reason.

Rose shot again, this time hitting his left foot. Crowley at last collapsed onto the chair laying sideways on the floor. "So you think leaving me alone while I'm under house arrest is a good idea?! You think keeping me from doing my job is a good idea?! I'm not a delicate fucking little flower! I never have been! So stop fucking treating me like one!"

Rose sucked in deep, labored breaths. Her heart was pounding in her ears and the world was still a little fuzzy.

"Rose, love, please put the gun down and let me explain."

She didn't move at first. As her breathing slowed and her vision cleared, Rose regained control of herself and clarity of the situation. Rose instantly dropped the gun and took three swift paces backwards. The weapon fell to the floor with a clatter. Her eyes were wider than plates and her breathing switched to hyperventilation.

Rose tried to say everything from 'I'm sorry' to 'I didn't mean to' and every possible, regretful, and panicked phrase she could think of, but it all came out as incoherent babbling mostly repeating the letter 'I.' Instead of wringing her hands, her left hand wrung the skin on her right forearm, clutching it to the point where she felt pins and needles in both hands.

Of all the things to happen, Crowley hadn't expected _that_ to happen. The shooting and the rage and the yelling - that he expected. This was completely out of character for Rose. In the entire time he'd known her, Rose had never once shied away from making her point no matter how violent. This wasn't even close to the first time she had shot him or just plain injured him. He had never seen her act like….like _this_.

"Rose? Love? Are you alright?" Crowley bit back the twinge of pain in order to stand and limp his way towards his queen. Rose took two more baby steps backwards, nearly tripping on a fallen table. Crowley reached forward, attempting to grab her. Rose flinched and condensed her body as much as she could while standing.

"Don't-" Rose shook her head violently. "I don't want to hurt you."

Crowley almost laughed. "You won't. This isn't the first time you've done this and it won't be the last. You went easy on me this time around. Besides, I've spent some time in Hell - this is nothing."

Rose swallowed hard. Her jaw was starting to quiver and her legs were growing weak. Crowley rushed forward and managed to embrace her before she fell. However, they both fell to the ground in the process. Rose was firmly within his grip and sitting upon his lap.

"What on earth is this about?" Crowley pressed. She may be a stubborn Winchester, but she was sure as hell going to talk to him. Rose shook her head and continued to retreat within herself. Crowley sighed. "A little bird told me you hadn't been sleeping well. This is about that, isn't it?"

Rose hiccuped, squeezed her eyes shut, then gave a curt nod.

"They're getting worse." She whispered. "_I'm_ getting worse. The Mark left something behind and it's corrupting me."

Crowley ran a hand along her hair. Rose sighed and let her head fall to rest against his neck. She took a deep breath and took in his familiar, sulfuric, expensively fragranced scent.

"Perhaps now would be a good time to go on our honeymoon." Crowley's deep voice vibrated through Rose's skull, lulling her.

"But-"

"No buts. You need some real rest and relaxation, I could use a break from my mother, and your brothers can manage without you."

Rose sighed again, intending to go on to protest, but Crowley yet again cut her off before she could start.

"Besides, I think I have some things to make up for."

"You think a vacation is going to make up for the last two weeks?" Rose retorted.

"Have some faith, Flower." Crowley pulled her head up to kiss her. He had missed her and her soft, delicious lips. More importantly, he had missed all those nights he was supposed to spend with her. When he pulled away to speak, Rose could see the lust glowing in his eyes. "Tomorrow we will pick a place and go on our honeymoon. But right now, I believe I have 14 missed nights to make up for."

Rose couldn't help but laugh. She licked her lips, then rested her nose on his. "Actually, it's 15 nights, and this would technically be 16."

Then with another passionate, lustful kiss and a snap of the King's fingers, the royal couple exchanged the partially destroyed living room for the comforts of the their bed.

Rose had a feeling that if she slept at all tonight, she would sleep incredibly well for the first time in weeks.

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**Hello, lovelies! As tense as this chapter was, I actually had a lot of fun writing it. It took three tries to get it just the way I wanted, but I'm pretty happy with it. I've been working on improving my imagery, and I think it wasn't half bad this chapter!**

**Anywho, I've been working on outlining so that I can crank out more chapters, but have actually just run myself into a bit of a roadblock. If anyone has any suggestions for a honeymoon location, please let me know ASAP!**

**A HUGE thank you to Kagalei for the feedback! If it ends up being decided that Rose and Crowley won't have a child, I will absolutely do a oneshot or maybe even a drabble series where they do!**

**On that note, I'm gonna go to bed and hopefully dream up some wonderful ideas to write! As always, my box is always open for anything! I do not own Supernatural, but I do own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom.**


	39. Chapter 39

_"Tomorrow we will pick a place and go on our honeymoon. But right now, I believe I have 14 missed nights to make up for."_

_Rose couldn't help but laugh. She licked her lips, then rested her nose on his. "Actually, it's 15 nights, and this would technically be 16."_

_Then with another passionate, lustful kiss and a snap of the King's fingers, the royal couple exchanged the partially destroyed living room for the comforts of the their bed._

_Rose had a feeling that if she slept at all tonight, she would sleep incredibly well for the first time in weeks._

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**CHAPTER THIRTY NINE**

**In which the royal couple plan their honeymoon**

Written to: Tour of the Kingdom by Alan Menken from The Little Mermaid

Listenonrepeat: /?v=LmrUlLZjhgA#Tour_Of_The_Kingdom_(score)_-_The_Little_Mermaid_OST

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"So where would you like to go, love?" Crowley ran a hand over Rose's fit form. She tensed and stretched her muscles, the sun pouring in through the window warming her exposed skin.

"We've been pretty much everywhere." Rose mumbled, her mind still struggling to wake up. Last night's rest was the best she had gotten in what felt like a very long time. Crowley had given her so much exercise that her brain skipped right over REM sleep to allow for more of the deep and replenishing Delta sleep - leaving no room for nightmares to occur.

"Then what was your favorite place to visit?" Crowley's low voice vibrated through Rose's body. She snuggled closer into him, letting the blankets drape further and further down her figure.

"Shouldn't we go somewhere new for our honeymoon?" Rose replied, practically humming. For the moment, she felt at peace.

"If you want." He smiled down at the woman in his arms. Not even in his time as a human did he ever dream his life might end up like this - but at the moment, there wasn't a thing he would change.

"But where haven't we been?" Rose rolled over to lay on her back. The blankets stretched over her tightly, now trapped beneath her leg on the other side. She looked at the ceiling as if there might be something of interest on it. "We've been to every major city in world, every off-the-beaten-path location, and a huge handful of little towns and villages. We've even been to the Arctic Circle and the South Pole. And Hell. The only places I can think of off the top of my head that we haven't been to are Heaven and Purgatory - and those aren't exactly vacation spots."

"I'm sure there's somewhere we haven't been." Crowley ran a hand down Rose's stomach and then her leg, taking a moment to rest along her crotch as he went. He enjoyed watching her wriggle and shift under his touch so much that he repeated the action three times before Rose managed to make any suggestions.

Then Rose began to laugh. "Well, there's one place we haven't been."

"Enlighten me." Crowley watched the woman with a raised brow. If she was laughing, he probably wasn't going to like the answer.

"We always stay in fancy places and eat fancy food. I don't think there's been a single time you've gone without your amenities for a trip." Rose grinned with playful, mocking intent. By the way her eyes glinted and her smile was growing by the second, Crowley knew the answer was amusing her to no end.

"Your point?" He asked.

"We've never gone camping." Rose at last answered, then fell into a small fit of giggling at the sight of the serious lack of enthusiasm evident of her husband's face.

"Camping? In the woods? Without running water and electricity or - or clean anything?" Crowley asked for clarification, his brows high in shock.

"Yes, camping in the woods without that crap. Surely you had to tough it in ancient Scotland." Rose retorted.

"It wasn't toughing it because we didn't know what we were missing. And it wasn't ancient! It was the 18th century!" Crowley griped, but Rose only chuckled again.

"It's the one thing we haven't done. And you'll get to mark it off your list!"

"What list?"

"The hypothetical one of all the things you've done."

Crowley sighed and let his head fall back onto the pillow with a thump. "I did not become King of Hell so that I could spend my time getting covered in dirt and bugs in the wilderness for _fun_."

"Oh come on, it's not _that_ bad." Rose flipped over to lay on her stomach. The sheets wrapped themselves around her legs again and fell to the side, revealing more of her toughened back.

"At least let me set up a cabin for us." Crowley tried, turning his head to watch Rose.

"No. We've stayed in a cabin before. And you said I could pick where we go and what we do for our honeymoon." Rose countered.

Crowley sighed. He closed his eyes for a moment, ran a hand along Rose's closest arm, then sighed again. "Fine. We'll go camping. But only with the nicest things."

"No! The whole point of camping is to leave the fancy shit behind!" Rose barked a laugh. "I'll let you bring a nice tent, but that's it. I get to pick out the rest of the stuff. And we are going to cook our food over a fire and make s'mores and get dirty and go on hikes."

"Why does 'get dirty' have to be on the itinerary?" Crowley grumbled.

"Oh, get over it. It's dirt. You're a demon. Just mojo it away." Rose grumbled right back. Then she took a deep breath, tilted her head, and smiled. "Come on, Crowley. It'll be just you and me. No one will be around for miles."

Rose leaned forward and pressed her forehead to his. "We can be as loud as we want - whenever and wherever we want."

That did the trick. Crowley instantly broke into a shiteating grin and lunged forward to grab Rose. He pulled her bare form flush against his. His hand wove it's way through her hair and his lips were planted firmly against hers.

Crowley tugged on her hair, slipped a leg under hers and his other arm under her torso, then flipped her. He pulled away for just a moment to give her another smug grin of satisfaction, then he began to make up for another missed night.

* * *

Gavin, unfortunately, was not hard of hearing in his young age. He ended up spending the night as far away from the master bedroom as he could get without being outside. Which pretty much meant he slept in the tub of the downstairs bathroom.

When they started up again in the morning, Gavin immediately took his breakfast and moved outside to sit by the well - which was where Rose and Crowley found him when they eventually stumbled downstairs.

"Good morning, Gavin!" Rose called from the window and waved with a great smile painted on her face. When Gavin returned the greeting, he couldn't help but notice how she was practically glowing. She was light on her feet, smiling, and laughing. Her shoulder length hair was loose and her gun wasn't tucked in the waistband of her jeans.

While he can't say he was especially thrilled about all the activity last night, he was genuinely thrilled that Rose appeared to be in a better state than before. Gavin had watched her go from putting on a smile and happy voice to destroying the house - which, by the way, he cleaned up last night seeing as he was having trouble sleeping to begin with.

Contrary to what the young man was expecting, it was Crowley that came outside to sit with him first while Rose fussed about inside.

"Rose seems happy." Gavin commented, taking the last bite of his fried eggs.

"How was she before last night?" Crowley asked.

Gavin set his plate on the ground before he answered. "Not nearly as happy as she is now. She was managin', but each day it seemed like she was more and more...upset? unstable?"

"And the nightmares you told me about?" He pressed.

"Every night. She always woke up screamin' and never wanted to talk about it." Gavin shrugged.

Crowley didn't ask anything else. Gavin watched his unchanging, stoic face for a moment before continuing their conversation.

"Did you manage to convince her to go on your honeymoon?" Gavin asked, fumbling with his hands.

"She wants to go camping." Crowley replied with a particularly disdainful tone for the last word.

"Camping?" Gavin asked. He understood the premise, but it seemed an odd thing for the royal couple of Hell to do for a romantic getaway.

"Camping." Crowley confirmed with a grimace.

"Well...maybe it'll be fun?" Gavin attempted to console him, but one look at either of their terrified and confused faces would've made anyone laugh uncontrollably.

* * *

"Rose? How're you doing?" Sam asked.

"Pretty good, actually. I'm just calling to let you know that we're finally going on our honeymoon. I won't be out of reach, but it is a vacation, so-"

"I get it. We won't call unless it's life or death. How long will you be gone?"

"A week. We're-"

"A week?!" Crowley called from the other side of the room. Rose huffed.

"What, you can't handle the great outdoors for a whole week?" Rose shouted back, holding the phone away from her mouth.

Crowley rolled his eyes. "It's a rather short honeymoon, don't you think?"

"A week is enough of a break. Don't forget we run Hell and the longer we're gone, the more trouble Rowena's gonna make." Rose retorted.

"Two weeks." Crowley ignored her argument.

"I'll settle for 10 days, but no more."

Crowley sighed, stood, and walked over to the Queen of Hell. "If we go for 10 days, then I get a say in everything we bring."

Rose shook her head gently, but nevertheless agreed. "Fine. It's a deal."

Crowley gave his trademark smirk of victory, then sealed the deal with his wife. Rose smiled, then returned to her phone call.

"We'll be gone for 10 days starting tomorrow." Rose told her brother. "How are you guys doing?"

"Alright at the moment. We ran into our friend Charlie." Sam replied.

"Charlie? As in the one that went to Oz?" Rose bit back a small giggle as Crowley left a trail of butterfly kisses along her jaw and down her neck.

"That's the one. Long story short, she's back now and she's heading to Italy to get the book." Rose froze. Crowley ceased his kissing and stood up straight to watch her with interest.

"Sam, I told you I-"

"You were busy and she wanted to help." Sam countered nonchalantly.

"It would be a hundred times easier if I just went-"

"Rose. Charlie's got it covered. You have other things to worry about."

"The Mark of Cain is the most important thing right now. Everything else can wait. If there's a way to get rid of it for good, I'm not gonna wait around for it to fall in our laps." Rose's voice grew louder with each sentence.

"I get that - I really do. And we're doing everything we can. Charlie can get the book, and we can keep an eye on Dean and keep researching."

Rose sighed. There wasn't really anything she could do about it now. Besides, maybe Charlie could be a helpful asset. "How's Dean?"

"He had an episode earlier, but he's fine now."

"WHAT?!" Rose yelled, not bothering to pull the phone away. "And you didn't call me?!"

"You said you were having trouble with conveyance and using magic right now. And we had it under control."

"If he has an episode, it's _not_ under control! By any means!"

Rose shifted the phone to her left ear and absentmindedly rubbed her right arm against her hip. Crowley didn't miss a thing. He took hold of her right hand and ran a thumb over the tender skin of her forearm.

"I'm sorry, Rose. I made a bad call, alright? Everything's fine now. I promise I'll call you if he has another."

Rose ground her jaw and huffed. "If you don't call me the second he has it-"

"I know." Sam sighed and probably ran a hand over his hair. "I know."

Rose took a deep breath and closed her eyes, focusing on the repetitive sensation of Crowley stroking the underside of her arm. "Try not to do anything stupid while I'm away, alright?"

"Believe me - we're not gonna do anything stupid on purpose." Sam huffed a laugh. "Try to enjoy yourself. Don't worry so much while you're vacationing."

"I'll do my best." Rose replied. "Bye, Sammy."

"Bye, Rose."

Rose sighed and hung up. She then leaned into her husband's rather soft suit. She rested her forehead on his shoulder and his right arm wrapped casually around her.

"If we're leaving tomorrow, we should get everything we need today." Rose mumbled through the fabric on Crowley's shoulder.

"Where to first, Flower?" He asked softly.

"Unless there's a storage room with camping gear you have that I don't know about, we're gonna have to go to sporting goods store or something." Rose replied.

"Do you have a store in mind?"

"No. You can pick one, but don't make it too fancy. We're camping, not staying at a resort." Rose laughed to herself. If she didn't give him restrictions, they would be 'roughing it' with only the nicest and most expensive equipment meant for trillionaires.

"Killjoy." Crowley mumbled before whisking them away to go shopping.

* * *

**My apologies on the delay! I've been going through some writer's block and took a brief break to work on other stories. I think part of the problem is the lack of inspiration. Now that I have two SPN stories going, when I watch Supernatural, I basically watch it imagining how my OCs will fit in. Since season 10 repeats are still pretty early in the season and it's not on Netflix yet, I'm having trouble remembering just what I wanted Rose to do. Knowing how she fits in later gives me the drive to write to get there. It's kind of a snowball effect.**

**Long story short, updates might be a little slow/the story might move a little slowly until Netflix gets season 10. I'm very sorry, but I will do my darnedest to keep at it.**

**In the mean time, pop on over and check out my other story: 'The Angel of Music!' It's based on the idea of a hunter who doesn't like to hunt and starts in season 3. The OC specific plot is gonna move slowly relative to the canon storyline, but there are going to be some crazy plot twists along the way and one hell of a backstory to discover. There will be some AU components to it as Percy Evans changes things in the SPN universe.**

**As always, my box is open for anything! And do remember that I take requests if you feel so inclined. I do not own Supernatural, but I do own Marian Rose Winchester and anything that isn't canon and/or widely accepted by the fandom.**


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